Snake Charmer
by x8xdanix6x
Summary: Lily and Scorpius got off to the wrong start. Misunderstanding and prejudices keep them apart. Lily soon realizes that love is not something to risk losing. She hopes their love will be strong enough to last and that family ties will win in the end. Join Lily as she learns to get over her prejudices and learns that being true to herself is the route to happiness. LLPxSHP other
1. C1: A Little Joy out of misery

**Snake Charmer**

_Welcome to my story _**Snake Charmer** _I really hope you enjoy reading it. I started this story several years ago and have rewritten it. I try to improve it constantly by reading the feedback given by my readers, whether positive or negative. I find feedback useful to develop my characters and plot. Any comments made about my story in reviews will be taken notice of. _

_JKR's Harry Potter series is about family and the triumph of good over evil. This story although does focus on the importance of family. It's main focus is of personal development. Consequently you may not like some of the characters at the start, but I ask you to please give them chance to grow. In this story you will discover that people no matter their age, have redeeming qualities._

_For those just finding my story, please don't be put off by the large word count. This story is teen rated although some of the subject matter at times is of a mature nature. However after reading other teen rated fan fiction stories I believe the teen rating is still appropriate. _

_(Harry Potter Next Generation - Mainly Lily L. Potter x Scorpius H. Malfoy but contains many other pairings.)_

_Love and Family is everything a person could ever need. That is the Weasley/Potter way and Lily is no different. Her family means everything to her and she has a strong love for her friends. Merlin help anyone fool enough to risk her anger by messing with them. _

_Join Lily as she learns to love and hate and discover that people are full of surprises. Former rivals will become life-long friends and she'll realise things are rarely as they seem. After many obstacles and mistakes, she will eventually learn that the most important thing is to be true to herself and her heart. After all, no one is perfect._

**Chapter 1: A Little Joy out of Misery**

A red-haired girl the age of ten ran along the platform with tears streaming down her face. She waved frantically at two pale faced, black-haired boys who returned her waves enthusiastically as they hung out the train windows. "See you at Christmas," yelled the eldest boy gleefully and the girl's sobs grew fiercer.

"We'll send you a Hogwart's toilet seat," the younger joked. A pale arm could be seen slapping the younger boy on the upside of his head. Albus Potter winced. "Ok Rose I wont send her a toilet seat." Albus Potter grumbled. "But we will send you something Lily. I promise!"

Laughter mingled with the girls sobs. When she eventually reached the edge of the platform and could no longer follow, she was forced to stop. She continued to wave until the train turned a bend and disappeared out of sight. As she could no longer hear the noisy chugs of the steam engine, she gave one last sob and allowed her arm to fall to her side. That was the second time she'd had to watch her brothers James and Albus leave for school while she was left behind alone with her parents.

"Lily, come along now!" A red-haired woman called to her from the other end of the platform. She stood next to a man with messy black hair and glasses who was talking to a tall red-haired man. The sight of them brought a smile to her face and it lessened the grief of having her brothers separated from her. Lily gave one last sniff and wiped the tears off her cheeks with the back of her sleeves. She faced her mother and made her way down the platform dragging her feet.

As she passed a group of people, a fake wand given to her as a birthday gift from her Uncle George fell out of her pocket. She turned to retrieve it but a man had already knelt to pick it up. He had a certain presence about him that made Lily think that he wasn't the kind of man who would usually do such a thing. She had the uneasy feeling that he knew her and the only reason he had lowered himself to bending down and picking something off the floor was because of who she was. The man probably had servants to attend to his every need.

He was about her father's age, tall and scrawny, with white blonde hair scraped back revealing a receding hairline accentuating his pointed chin. Lily glanced into his cold grey eyes and felt a sudden sense of fear. She tried to keep his gaze since her brother James had always told her not to turn her back on what she feared, but it became too much. As if her eyes had a mind of their own they flickered to the other people of the group.

There was a woman around her mother's age and she appeared much friendlier than the man. She had honey blonde hair drawn back into a loose bun and childlike features that made her look like an angel. Her dazzling blue eyes were full of warmth and Lily automatically smiled at her while the woman smiled back.

Among the group were two others. They were much older, probably the same age as her grandparents. However while her grandparents were warm and caring, those two seemed cold and indifferent when they looked at her. She distinctly heard the woman say: "The Potter girl" to the man. A sneer formed on his face. He had cold grey eyes just like the man who had her wand and terrified her even more than the other's. Lily turned her gaze back to the man crouched in front of her.

The angel placed her hand on the man's shoulder and there was an instant change in him. He appeared friendlier than before and Lily puzzled over the change. What her childish mind could not identify, was that the man in front of her was someone who played up to the expectations of others. He was not the man many people thought him to be. A small smile toyed on his lips as her regarded her for a few moments.

Lily didn't now how to interpret the change in him, but was relieved when he handed her back her wand. He nodded curtly and turned to the blonde lady next to him whom Lily assumed was his wife. "Thank you very much sir." Lily said, remembering her manners despite her audience. Adding a curtsey for good measure, Lily turned and ran to join her parents, wand in hand.

The tears began to flow again and Lily launched herself into her mother's arms. They wrapped around her the instant she was in reach and Lily was surrounded in love. She felt safe and secure in her mother's arms, she felt at home. Lily held onto those arms as the next wave of sobs caused her to shudder.

"It's ok Lily," her mother said soothingly and stroked her daughter's hair. "You only have one more year before you and Hugo will be off to Hogwarts as well", she whispered kindly. Lily nodded not wanting to tell her mother that the group of blondes were partially to blame for her latest round of hysterics. After all, her family valued bravery and were Gryffindor's through and through. If Lily had any hope of joining the same house as the rest of her family, she was going to have to be brave. Unfortunately bravery was not something she felt she had much of.

James often teased her by predicting she was going to be sorted into Slytherin. Lily really did not want to be a Slytherin. Her Uncle Ron said they were a spineless lot with only a few exceptions. Lily believed him because her Uncle Ron knew everything, just like her Daddy. Her Dad wasn't a fan of Slytherins either so what her Uncle Ron said about Slytherins must be true. Lily wondered why he never voiced his opinions Slytherin's while Aunt Audrey or 'Grandma' Tonks was in the room. They must be the exceptions to the rule because Lily loved them both. They were two former Slytherin's you didn't want to cross. With her mind on her family, Lily forced herself to calm her sobs but still looked solemn.

Ginny Potter stood up and turned to her husband whilst Lily tried to wipe away some of the dampness from her cheeks. Her sleeves were now soaked with tears and so her new tears smeared around her damp face instead of being dried.

"Harry, let's go to Diagon Alley now so Lily can pick out a pet. It will give them time to bond before she goes to Hogwarts." Ginny Potter said. Lily let out an excited squeak and perked up immediately. She gazed up at her father who was looking away in the direction of the oldest white-haired man Lily had just encountered. His brows were furrowed and several wrinkles formed across his forehead. This made his lightning bolt shaped scar stand out.

That scar was his most recognizable feature. He had gotten it when he was a baby. And though Lily hadn't been told the specifics of how it had happened she knew it had something to do with a dark wizard that fought for power before she was born. Lily also knew that this dark wizard and his followers were responsible for her Uncle Bill's distorted face and Uncle George's missing ear. While Uncle Bill looked as if he had been mauled by a wild animal, Uncle George had a black gaping hole where his left ear should be. Furthermore, she knew that the dark lord and his followers were responsible for the absence of Uncle George's brother Fred, Lily's paternal grandparents, as well as Teddy's parents.

Nevertheless, these absent family members were not forgotten. As proof, their memory was kept alive by the family. She and her brother James were named after her grandparents and her father was an amazing godfather to Teddy. Teddy was more like a son to Harry and an elder brother to Lily and her other siblings. In short, he was part of their family, no questions asked.

Though Lily's father was standing next to them, he took a while to become aware of his wife and daughter waiting for his reply to their question. If it wasn't for the sharp jab to the ribs he'd just received from Uncle Ron at his side, he would have continued to stare at the old man. Uncle Ron seemed to realize where Lily's father was staring and an identical expression now formed on his face. Lily glanced back at the group of blondes leaving the platform. They didn't look back at them but the did seem aware they were being watched. Lily puzzled over her dad and uncle's reactions. The family must be bad if two Aurors were watching them with such attention.

Lily looked up at her dad not wanting to think any more about the family of blondes. "Please Daddy, I'd like a cat more than anything. Well, not as much as I want to go to Hogwarts, but I still want one a lot." Lily pleaded.

Harry grinned down at his daughter and then to his wife. "I think that's a great idea." He said finally.

Lily wrapped her arms rightly around both her parent's waists and they hobbled slightly to keep their balance. "Thanks" she squeaked affectionately "You are the best mummy and daddy ever!"

Harry bent down and lifted his daughter into his arms. He grunted since Lily was a lot heavier than she used to be now that she getting older. Lily hugged him tightly and kissed him on his bristly cheek. "It's ok. You can put me down now daddy." Lily grinned. After all she didn't want her dad to hurt himself.

Harry gave his daughter a tight squeeze and set her on her feet again. "Do you fancy coming along as well? Where's Hermione and Hugo?" He asked turning to Ron.

"We're here" came a disgruntled voice before the appearance of a slender woman with bushy brown hair. She led an auburn-haired boy sporting a grave expression by the hand. His sapphire eyes glistened with the tears he was holding back. "Hugo's been wanting an owl for a while now though I'm not sure if he deserves one at the moment" she retorted tartly.

Ron raised his eyebrow, "Why? What's he done now?" he asked in an exasperated tone.

Hermione huffed "Oh, he only handed a few first years some Ton-Tongue Toffees he got from George and tried to pass them off as regular muggle toffees. It took me several minutes to return them all back to normal. They almost missed the train because of him. Can you imagine how those poor children feel after being traumatized on their very first day? They're nervous enough. Currently, I'm considering keeping him home next year and getting him a private tutor." She huffed again. She glared down at her son but seeing his dejected look had her anger deflating. Ruffling her son's hair Hermione turned her attention to the adults. "I think George has increased the strength of those sweets. I don't remember them being that difficult to put right."

A large grin spread across Ron's face, "Really? That a boy Hugo!" Ron bellowed proudly patting his son fondly on the back. "You boy are going to make your father proud. Unlike your sister, who is a miniature of your mother." He added as a lament.

"Ron!" Hermione scowled but when she saw the smirks on Harry and Ginny's face she allowed herself to laugh. "Your father was joking Hugo. He is proud of your sister even if he doesn't say so. She has the brains to be the top of her class." Then, in a whisper to Ron, Harry and Ginny she stated "Honestly, this one is going to cause more trouble than your three put together next year." Ron's face went white at the prediction of the angry letters sent by headmaster Croston and the others laughed all the harder.

Lily winked at Hugo as she ignored the grown ups. She had more important things to discuss right then. "So do you want an owl, cat or a toad? You didn't say before. James told me you wanted a toad but I think he was joking because who on earth would want a toad? They are ugly and slimy and full of warts. At least with owl's and cat's you can form a relationship with. Toads wouldn't recognise you so all they would do is hop away." Lily finished and pulled a disgusted face.

Hugo smiled sheepishly. It was really easy to tease her. She was the youngest of the lot of them and really gullible. She took everything the others said as fact until she found out differently. She also talked a lot but he didn't mind. She was his favourite cousin after all. "Well I was planning on getting an owl for Hogwarts. You said you really wanted a cat instead of an owl so I thought I'd get one. That way, we can share him and you can send letter home with him as well as me."

Lily flung her arms around Hugo and squeezed him tightly as they walked towards the exit to the platform. "You're the best cousin ever" she sang and then took a more secretive tone as the family left platform 9 ¾. "I'll show you how to do the jinx Uncle George taught me!" She whispered to only Hugo.

Hugo looked at her as if she was insane. She didn't honestly believe that he would fall for that, did she? "You don't have a wand yet, Lily" he sighed scornfully at her attempts to trick him. Lily then pulled out her wand from Uncle George and smiled smugly. Hugo continued to look at her as if he feared for her sanity. "A joke wand won't help you cast _spells_" Hugo stated indignantly. He may be more mischievous than his sister but he had her brains.

Lily slapped her cousin playfully on the arm and childishly stuck out her tongue. "Don't take that high and mighty tone with me mister, this isn't a _joke_ wand and it's not going to transform into a parrot or a herring silly." Lily whispered importantly. She glanced around to make sure that neither of her parents was listening in. They were engrossed in conversation with Hugo's parents so Lily continued, "This is a teaching wand!"

Hugo laughed but stopped at the hurt look on Lily's face. "I'm sorry, but I can't believe that Uncle George of all people would get you something _educational." _Their Uncle George was well-known within the family as a prankster. He had dropped out of Hogwarts without graduating and started his joke shop with his late twin Fred. He was really successful and Hugo's dad often helped out at the shop when things at the ministry were slow. Uncle Ron worked with Lily's father as an Auror but neither child knew what an Auror was exactly, only that they went after bad witches and wizards. Their parents had chosen not to tell them until they were a little older. They didn't want to worry them.

Lily mimicked her Uncle George's voice and repeated what he'd said to her when he had secretly given her the wand, "_Now Lily, you are the only daughter of my only sister. I'm not letting you go to Hogwarts without you knowing how to jinx a few Slytherin. You need to be able to protect yourself because those snakes can be tricky."_

"That does sound Uncle George." Hugo admitted grudgingly.

Lily beamed at her cousin. "Uncle Bill and Teddy have taught me a few as well. If you do the spell wrong it will glow red but if you do it right it glows gold. It's really clever and I think it will be helpful even after I get a real wand of my own."

Hugo stared at his cousin with a mixture of admiration and jealousy. Unfortunately they couldn't carry on their conversation because Ginny and Hermione had grabbed their hands and were guiding them to the car. "Mum, can I ride with Lily, Uncle Harry and Aunt Ginny please? Dad's driving makes me sick." Hugo asked his mother cautiously which caused her to burst out laughing and his father feigned being insulted.

"Of course you can dear. To be honest, I'd prefer to join them too but then your dad would get lonely. He'd also get lost if I wasn't there to direct him." Hermione laughed once more and watched her son climb into the back seat of the new top of the line Range-Rover Sport Harry had just bought.

Ron complained openly about his family turning against him and went to sit in his car. Ginny made sure both children were buckled up in the back seats before climbing into the front seat next to Harry. Twisting in her chair Ginny checked on them again. She couldn't get over how much her daughter had grown. It seemed only yesterday that she was cradling her daughter on their way back from the hospital. Ginny would have preferred it if Lily hadn't grown up so fast and was saddened that her daughter would soon be going to Hogwarts. Though she managed to hide her sadness well.

Lily twisted in her seat and laughed at the sulking faced her Uncle was making as Hermione climbed into the car with him. Minutes later they were pulling out of the parking spaces at King's Cross Station and heading towards the Leaky Cauldron. Lily stared in wonder at the muggles going about their everyday lives. It was incredible to think that many of them didn't know of the existence of anything magical. Having grown up with magic all of her life, she couldn't imagine how they got through the day without it.

After a half hour drive through London, the two cars parked outside the Leaky Cauldron. That was a remarkable feat considering there was rush hour traffic.

"Welcome to the Leaky Cauldron" the Landlady began. She was a tall and curvaceous woman who had short blonde hair and a pink face which lit up with a bright smile when she saw who it was entering the pub. "Hermione, Harry, Ginny and Ron: it's a pleasure to see you again." She chimed and hugged each in turn and they exchanged warm greetings. "And you have Lily and Hugo here with you. How are you, my darlings?" she asked bending to hug both of them.

"Hello Aunt Hannah! I'm going to get a cat! Lily beamed with pleasure. Hannah wasn't her real aunt but Lily called her that anyway. She'd been a schoolmate of Lily's and Hugo's parents and her husband Neville Longbottom was the Herbology Professor as well as the Head of Gryffindor house at Hogwarts. He too was a good friend of the family.

"Oh, how exciting!" she sang and straightened up. "My Delia wants an owl but we're going to get her one for her birthday" she told the adults in a hushed voice. Lily and Hugo ran towards the corner of the room to where two children sat playing with a pygmy-puff. The girl was their age and had her blonde hair in bunches and her round face had a pinkish glow about it. Her younger brother had similar colouring and was about five years of age. They both smiled when they saw Lily and Hugo. They hugged each other briefly but they were unable to do anything more than that because Lily and Hugo were ushered out to the back and through the magical door that led to Diagon Alley.

Their mothers held their hands as the six of them crossed the street and entered the pet store Magical Menagerie. The air was stuffy and made it difficult to breathe and Lily's nose wrinkled when the smell hit her. The room was dark, crowded and full of croaking, squawking, hissing and meowing sounds among other animal sounds. Lily passed cages of Pygmy-puffs in every colour one could imagine and tanks with brightly coloured frogs as she headed to the cage containing seven young kittens.

Lily shoved her fingers through the cage and giggled as the kittens meowed and pawed at her. There in the cage were two magnificent white Persians, two beautiful grey looking ones, a glorious tortoise shell patterned kitten, one with impressive ginger stripes and a little black kitten which was much smaller and scrawnier than the rest. The black kitten sat in the corner away from the others. Instantly, Lily knew which one she wanted. "Mummy, can I have the black one please?" she squealed and reached through the bars to pet it. It cowered away from her, obviously not used to the attention. The other six kittens tried to engage Lily and trampled over the little black one.

Ginny bent over the cage to look at them. The others were better looking cats than the one her daughter had chosen. It seemed to be the runt of the selection, the underdog. "Are you sure, Sweetie? He's rather small. What about one of the white ones? They are very pretty."

Lily sighed. She didn't want any of the other kittens. She only had eyes for the black one. The way she saw it, the small kitten was just like her. Since she was the youngest and smallest of the thirteen Potters and Weasleys in her generation, Lily often felt like the runt of the family. Being very much overshadowed by the rest of them. "I really want the black one mummy." she insisted. "You and daddy will get him for me, wont you?" she asked tearfully as she thought of the little black bundle being left behind, overshadowed by the other more impressive cats.

Harry stepped forwards to stand between his wife and daughter. "Of course we will Honey. If that's the one you choose then that's the one you'll get." he told her with a smile. Lily returned their smiles with a watery one. Her mother then knelt down and tried to scoop the little black kitten as it tried to run away from her and hide behind the other cats. Ginny finally caught it and lifted him out of the cage and handed him to Lily while Harry went to pay the shop assistant. Lily cradled the trembling small cat close to her chest. "It's ok, I'll take care of you" she cooed and eventually the little kitten calmed.

Without letting go of her new kitten, she stepped next to Hugo. "Have you picked one yet?" she asked interestedly. Hugo nodded and pointed to a Dusky Barn Owl in a cage held by his father. It was the colour of soot with a few white flecks on it under parts. It had a short tail and large black eyes. Lily thought the owl was rather impressive and would camouflage well against a starry sky. "He's beautiful. What are you going to call him?"

Hugo shrugged "I don't know. I have to think about it. Maybe we could name him together." he suggested. Lily liked that idea and responded, "We can think of names for them with grandma and grandpa." Both of them were going to be dropped off at the Burrow in the evening since their parents were going out for a meal. Having all their children back for the summer holidays meant that they hadn't had a moments peace in weeks. It was usual for them to take the opportunity to have some time to themselves.

Later that evening with the help of their grandparents, their eldest cousin Victoire who had recently graduated from Hogwarts and Teddy, Hugo decided to name his owl Moony and Lily chose Padfoot for her cat. The two children chose those names due to their meaning. Moony had been Teddy's father's nickname from school and Padfoot had been the Harry's godfather's nickname.

The two children found that the year passed quicker than either child expected. Lily's brothers sent her a goblet from Hogwarts but her mother made her send it back. Both James and Albus ended up in detention, but it wasn't anything new. They wrote to Lily every week about their adventures at Hogwarts, their experiences on Gryffindor's quidditch team and their run-ins with their Slytherin classmates. They came home for Christmas and Easter and it wasn't long before the Summer holidays arrived. Lily and Hugo received their letters from Hogwarts and they went to Diagon Alley to get all their school equipment.

**Last edited 20/04/12. I appreciate all the faves and alerts my story gets but love comments. Thank you for taking the time to read my story. **


	2. C2: Family Farewells

_**Thank you for all your reviews, faves and alerts.**_

**Chapter 2: Family Farewells**

"Kreacher, have you seen my socks?" Lily called out as she scanned her room while throwing items from her list into her school trunk. She would be leaving for Hogwarts in the morning and she wanted to make sure that she had everything packed before tea that evening.

"I have them here, Miss!" Kreacher croaked as he held a small pile of socks in front of him.

Lily beamed at the elderly House Elf and took the socks. "Thank you! And how many times have I asked you to call me Lily?" Lily sighed without making it sound like an order. She was very fond of the elderly house elf that had served the household for many years, but disliked the fact that he called her miss.

"It's not right, Little Miss." Kreacher said shaking his head, his overly large ears slapping the side of his face. Kreacher suddenly looked sad, "Little mistress all grown up and leaving Kreacher behind." he whimpered.

"Oh, dearest Kreacher" Lily cried and wrapped her arms fondly around the House Elf. "I'll be home for Christmas and you can visit me at Hogwarts any time. Daddy told me that a House Elf used to visit him without detection. And besides, I'd really love for you to visit. I'm going to miss you so much."

This seemed to cheer the little elf up. He gave a low bow, "Thank you, Little Miss, always so kind" he croaked in his bullfrog voice full of emotion and the House Elf disappeared with a loud crack.

Lily smiled and placed the last of her stuff into her trunk, sealed it and placed her twelve inch ebony wand with a unicorn hair core she'd just got from Ollivander's on her bedside table. Her practice wand from her uncle George was safely in her trunk. Although she had a real wand now she couldn't bear to part with it. Besides, it could come in useful if she was having difficulty with casting spells. Her brothers James and Albus had told her that some could get explosive if they weren't cast in the correct way. Lily didn't fancy having things blow up in her face which was one of the main reasons she hated playing exploding snap.

Her new Hogwarts uniform was neatly pressed and hanging in her wardrobe and with her trunk full she was all set for tomorrow. Lily was full to the brim with excitement. She doubted she'd sleep a wink tonight due to the amount of adrenaline gushing through her system. She had already read and reread all of her textbooks countless times over that summer and she'd practiced all of the first year spells so that they glowed gold with her special wand. She even learned to do a couple of jinxes and hexes that were way beyond first year level. Her brother Teddy had taught her to do those.

Padfoot circled at her feet vying for her attention while she packed. He hadn't grown much over the last year since she brought him home from Diagon Alley. However, he was a lot more curious now and a little less cowardly. She picked him up and held him against her chest and scratched behind his ears. He purred gratefully. "It's a big day for us tomorrow, Padfoot", she crooned. "We're finally off to Hogwarts. You'll love it there and we'll have lots of adventures together." The cat continued to purr.

"Lily, come on, everyone's here", Ginny Potter called from downstairs. Lily let Padfoot down and walked to the stairs. She climbed onto the banister and slid down. On her way she passed the boarded portrait of Mrs. Black whom was quite mad. Her father told her that the portrait used to call out profanities at the top of her lungs. She now had a silencing charm on her that muffled her cries and protected them from her vulgarities. Unfortunately, her parents had been unable to magically remove the painting. But since they loved living at Grimmauld's place they fixed the problem the 'muggle' way - boarding the picture up.

Much of Grimmauld's place had to be decorated in this way. Another example was James' room. It had once belonged to Sirius Black and since Sirius wanted to prevent his parents from redecorating his room, he had used permanent sticking charm on the posters and banners that scattered the room. The Blacks, apart from Sirius, were so proud of their pureblood heritage that the thought of not using magic to get the job done did not enter their minds. The only part of the wall that hadn't been covered up was a sunken photograph of four Hogwarts students known as Prongs, Padfoot, Moony and Wormtail. In other words, their full names were James Potter I, Sirius Black, Remus Lupin and Peter Pettigrew. Lily knew that they were all dead now. The first was her grandpa Potter who James was named after, the second was her father's godfather, the third was Teddy's father and the fourth was someone her father didn't say much about.

Lily arrived at the bottom of the stairs and sent an umbrella stand flying across the hall. "Please tell me you weren't sliding down the banister! You know how I feel about that!" Ginny Potter called from the kitchen.

"Fiddlesticks", Lily cursed under her breath. "I wasn't sliding down the banister", Lily replied. She didn't mean to lie but she didn't want her mother to know the truth due to history. When Lily was five, James and Albus had dared her to slide down the banister. Unfortunately, she had fallen off and broken her arm. Her brothers had been grounded for weeks and she was banned from repeating the incident again. Needless to say, she still did so in secret and no one was the wiser.

Lily straightened her clothes and entered the kitchen. She spotted Grandma and Grandpa Weasley and Grandma Tonks as they were wiping their eyes and muttering something about Lily being all grown up. Lily moved further into the room and saw that all twenty Weasleys, four Potters and Teddy Lupin were sitting around the large table in the centre of the kitchen. Lily slipped into the only empty seat between two of her uncles, George and Bill.

The second she sat down, plates of food came soaring through the air under Kreacher's command. Though her cousin Louis assured her that the food at Hogwarts was just as good, Lily was certain that she would still miss Kreacher's cooking.

Lily scooped a spoonful of roasted vegetables onto her plate as the farewell feast began. When all their plates were piled with food, the conversation steered away from statements such as 'can you pass the…?' 'That's enough' 'no don't put that there' and 'Just because you can do magic out of Hogwarts, doesn't mean that you have to use it as an excuse to levitate the plates in the air and scatter the food everywhere.' That last statement had actually been quite funny. Freddie and Dominique had been showing off at the time and were encouraged by an eager Lily and Hugo.

"So what house do you want to be in?" Molly junior asked both Hugo and Lily. Molly was named after their grandma Weasley.

"Gryffindor!" Lily and Hugo chorused in response and then giggled. Once the chuckles died down Lily continued "_Where dwell the brave at heart_" The majority of the family rolled their eyes at the obvious response while Harry smiled at his daughter. To Harry, it echoed a memory he had once seen from Severus Snape in a pensieve. His father had responded with the same answer when Sirius asked the question. Speaking of old memories, Harry had long ago discovered that although his daughter resembled his mother in looks, her temperament was very much like his father's. He could only wait to see what kind of trouble that combination attracted.

Meanwhile, James snorted and choked on his food at Lily's added response. James Sirius Potter looked very much like Harry except that he was brawnier rather than lean. In fact, his build was closer to Uncle George's and Charlie's. As for his hair, there was no denying it being like Harry's. It was black, untidy and often looked as if he'd just got out of bed. His eyes were the same as their mother's, dark brown. They had a tendency to change colour from brown to shimmering gold when the emotion called for it. At the moment they glistened gold with their usual mirth.

When Lily looked at him questioningly, he leant over the table and spoke loud enough for everyone to hear him "Oh there's no way you'll be sorted into Gryffindor, Lily! You're still not brave enough. I reckon you're more Slytherin material!" he said mischievously.

Lily took the bait and stuck her tongue out at him. "Shut up James! What do you know?" James was about to respond but was stopped by a warning look from his mother. He shot her an apologetic look and turned to smirk at his sister. "I still think you'll be in Slytherin" he grinned. He loved to tease his little sister though when it came down to it, there was nothing he wouldn't do for her. She was his favourite sister after all.

"There is nothing wrong with being sorted into Slytherin." Andromeda Tonks said scornfully.

"Sure we produced a few bad eggs but so has every house." Audrey agreed as the two Slytherin members of the family teamed together.

"Besides, Merlin was a Slytherin and he is widely known for his greatness. Slytherin is the house to be in if you have ambitions to be great." Andromeda added with pride. She never regretted her house.

"I don't want to be great Nana Tonks. I want to be brave" Lily said while everyone else remained quiet. They weren't going to open the subject about which house was better. The Gryffindors in the family may vastly outnumber the Slytherins, but they weren't foolish enough to take them on.

"Being a Gryffindor wont make you brave Lily. You have to be brave in the first place." Albus teased his sister. Ginny sent him a stern look and he quickly went quiet.

"There's nothing wrong with not being in Gryffindor, Teddy's best friend was a Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw is ok", Roxanne said in the superior tone not unlike their Uncle Percy. She was obviously thinking of her sixth-year boyfriend, Armand Belby, who was indeed a Ravenclaw and whom she'd been dating for two years. Her father George shook his head in mock shame at his daughter for mentioning the Ravenclaw and turned to face his wife Angelina sitting next to him. "I'm still hoping that she'll grow some taste. She must get it from your side of the family", he said teasingly in a tone that only she and Lily could hear. Angelina snorted in response and Lily stifled a giggle.

"Ink wot oo like Rox. Dad wood 'ave sooo disowned oo if oo'd bin sorted inoo Raven-caw", Freddie mumbled through a mouthful of mashed potato. Freddie was Roxanne's only sibling and he was a year older than her. Freddie was just about to enter his final year at Hogwarts with Dominique and Molly. Rose and Dominique looked at him in disgust and Roxanne made an unladylike snort in response just like the one her mother had made moments before.

Lily glanced up at her Uncle George who was nodding in agreement with Freddie. She felt panic swell in her chest. She knew she had to be in Gryffindor and she could not let her family down. All of her cousins and brothers had been or were in Gryffindor.

Teddy, who had his arm draped around her cousin Victoire, caught Lily's eyes and winked just as an aqua coloured lock of hair fell into his face. "Don't worry, Lil's. You'll be put in the house that is more suited for you. I'm almost certain it will be Gryffindor. I believe you have the qualities needed and if anyone bothers you, just do what I taught you okay?" He winked again and Lily giggled, her worries sated for the time being.

Victoire agreed with him and said in a silky calm voice, "You will definitely be a Gryffindor, flower, but even if you weren't we'd love you all the same." Victoire was eight years older than Lily and was very much like her mother. She had an aura about her that had all the boys drooling at her but she only had eyes for Teddy. Lily looked up to Victoire and had spent many hours following her around in which Victoire never minded. She adored the attention and cherished Lily.

Love and loyalty were qualities the Potter and Weasley family had in abundance. Though they may have arguments just like any other family, their strongly instilled familial bond tied them all together regardless of their age and number. Even though they joked about ostracizing a family member if not placed in the Gryffindor house, those bonds could not be broken no matter what. Their love was unconditional.

As food cleared off their plates, the Weasleys slowly broke off into their respected households and left Grimmauld either by apparition or the floo network. When all her relatives had gone, Lily and her brothers were sent to bed. Lily curled up in an 'S' shape under the covers with Padfoot who had curled into the nook behind her knees. Though Lily tried to sleep peacefully, she had a fitful sleep full of nightmares of being placed in Slytherin.

In the morning when she awoke, her restless sleep had left her with bags under her eyes. Her parents were concerned about this and they continued to reassure her that it didn't bother them if she was sorted into a different house. Soon after, they arrived at Kings Cross Station.

**Last edited 20/04/12. I appreciate all the faves and alerts my story gets but love comments. Thank you for taking the time to read my story. **


	3. C3: Shenanigans on the Train

_**Thank you for all your reviews, alerts and faves.**_

**Chapter 3: Shenanigans on the Train**

Lily hung out of the window from the Hogwarts Express and waved excitedly to her parents, aunts, uncles, Teddy and her cousin Victoire as they stood on the platform returning her wave. For the first time in Lily's life, she watched her family disappear from the window as she headed to Hogwarts. And though her emotions were partially verging on terror, she was very excited that her time had come at last. "I love you all and will write to you every week!" she called to them.

Once her family completely disappeared from sight, she moved away from the window and turned to see Hugo with an excited expression. "Can you believe it, Hugo? We're actually going! We're _finally_ going to Hogwarts!" Lily half-screamed and jumped up and down grinning like a Cheshire cat.

Hugo returned her enthusiasm and bounced up and down with her. At that moment, the train swayed slightly as it altered its direction. The two of them almost lost their balance and were about to fall on a group of unsuspecting sixth years. "Come on, Lily. Let's find a seat", Hugo suggested sensibly and grabbed hold of her hand while ushering her down the aisle. They left their trunks, owl cage and cat box to one side of the train aisle while they searched for an empty compartment.

As they walked, they passed a nervous looking brown-haired brown-eyed girl that looked like a fellow first year student. Lily turned to her as she held Hugo's hand and smiled kindly. "Hi! Do you have a place to sit?" Lily asked the girl who proceeded to shake her head warily. Lily then offered the girl her free hand. "You can come and sit with us if you want! A few of our friends are starting Hogwarts this year and we're going to find them. They're really nice you know." she said. The girl simply stared at Lily's open hand, in awe of her confidence.

As the girl was about to take it, a group of four third year boys barged passed them. One of the boys, the one who strongly resembled a troll, looked around in distaste and said, "We better not stay here too long. It's full of _mudbloods_." He directed his gaze at the girl Lily was helping. A second boy who walked with sloth-like movements laughed at his companions statement.

The girl blushed and stared at her feet. It was obvious that she didn't understand the meaning of the term 'mudblood' but the tone was unmistakable. Lily, however, snapped. She whirled around to face the boy and reached for her wand. In her opinion, there was no place for that kind of prejudice in this day and age. "Apologize, now", she yelled pointing her wand at the boy as she contemplated what spell to use.

Several students that were near stopped and congregated around the scene that was about to unfold. The offending boy looked stunned and his companions smirked. "What are you going to do about it, '_ickle firsty?_ You can't use that thing yet", he mocked as the boy with white-blonde hair sneered. At his sneering, Lily glanced at the white-haired boy. He seemed familiar and Lily was reminded of the cold looking man she met at the train station a year ago today. The sight of him sent shivers down her spine, but she refused to lower her wand.

She felt Hugo tug on her arm, in his attempt to calm her. "Come on, lets go find a seat," he urged. In Hugo's mind, it was one thing to hand out sweets from Weasley Wizard Wheezes to students but quite another to provoke four hostile looking third years. The brown-haired girl also seemed to sense the danger of the situation and gasped while shrinking behind both of them.

Lily continued to glare at the boys and the blonde one smirked again saying "Look Zabini, I think we've just found ourselves more weasels to torment!" While he said this in an almost gleeful tone, his cold grey eyes looked over Lily's flaming red locks and Hugo's auburn curls. "And you thought that we had seen the last of them last year" he continued to say. The handsome black boy, Lily concluded to be Zabini, laughed while the boy who looked like a troll leered at her. All of a sudden, Lily felt his breath flow her way and it was pungent. Her nose wrinkled in disgust. She would rather swallow in a pile of dragon manure than hang around him all day.

"Now I know why the little blood traitor took offence to my comment. Your family always did have a soft spot for mudbloods and muggles, don't they? Didn't one of your uncles breed with one of those apes? Or would that be your father?" the troll said, facing Lily. "Or is it your mother that's the mudblood, little Weasel?" he continued.

Hugo's grip on Lily's arm tightened and she winced. She could imagine how he looked at this comment. His ears had turned red in anger and he glared at the boys while gritting his teeth. "I see we've been mistaken," Zabini said when he noticed Hugo's reaction.

The troll nodded in agreement and said, "I believe it's the other one that's half-ape."

At this comment, Lily's grip around her wand tightened and she waved it. She had warned him. "_PETRIFICUS TOTALUS!_" she yelled at the boy and to her amazement, the spell actually worked. The troll boy went rigid and fell to the floor face down.

At this action, the blonde boy glared at her and took out his wand. "You're going to regret that, you little brat" he sneered. Hugo and the brown-haired girl gasped. Lily suddenly felt a pang of uncertainty and fear as she saw many students peer out of their compartments to see the commotion. Many of them looked concerned but none looked as if they would step in to help her or stop them. _Well, there goes my best first impression for my first day_, Lily thought to herself.

As the boy prepared to hex Lily and she prepared herself mentally to escape, a voice stopped them in their tracks. "Don't even _think_ about it!" she heard her brother James yell from behind her. He put a hand on one of her shoulders. Lily felt herself relax at his touch and turned to see his face gratefully. Her grateful look suddenly disappeared as her jaw dropped in surprise. The look she saw in James's golden eyes as he glared at the blonde was one of pure hatred. Lily was so shocked. She'd never seen her brother look this way before. It was so unusual to see him without his trademark mischievous gleam. Though she knew he could get angry every now and then, she never though him capable of this emotion he was currently displaying. To say that he knew and disliked this blonde boy would be an understatement. From the looks of it, he hated the blonde.

"You stay away from my sister, Malfoy, or you'll have me and my family to deal with."

_Malfoy? _Lily though and soon she recognized the name. Her father had mentioned that name various times during heated discussions with her Uncle Ron. With dread, she realized she really had picked the wrong person to fight with.

Malfoy went paler if it was possible and his eyes rested on Lily again. Then his gaze turned mutinous. "I didn't realize this brat was your sister", he spat coldly but proceeded to lower his wand and turn to the other boy. Zabini, on the other hand, looked rather amused by what had just transpired. He turned to look at Malfoy for his next move.

"Zabini, help me with Goyle", Malfoy ordered. Zabini did as asked and soon the two of them dragged the unpleasant boy into a nearby compartment. The fourth boy skulked behind them.

When they were gone, Lily turned again to thank James but her grateful face dropped again when she caught sight of her stern looking cousin Molly over James' shoulder. On Molly's chest was the Head Girl badge and Lily automatically knew what was coming. "Detention, Lily!" she shouted and immediately students that had been spectators slammed the doors to their compartment shut in an attempt to avoid attention. At Lily's crestfallen face, Molly added quietly, "I'm sorry, but I can't let you off just because you're my cousin. Not with everyone watching like that. It's your own fault, you know but I'm make sure you get an easy detention. Next time, please make sure there are no prefects or I are around ok?" And with that, Molly walked away quickly.

Lily stared after her flabbergasted. She managed to get herself a detention and she wasn't even at Hogwarts yet! "Way to go, Lils!" her cousin Freddie congratulated as he stepped beside her. He patted her back fondly with a dark-skinned hand and his coffee-brown eyes gleamed with pride. "I think you just broke a record, Lil's. I don't think anyone has ever got a detention before they were even sorted into a house yet! My dad is going to be so proud. Oh, just _wait_ until I tell the others. You are officially a legend", Freddie gleamed and ran off down the train aisle in the same direction as Molly. At that comment, Lily wasn't sure that Freddie should be so happy about it. But then again, Grandma Molly always complained how Freddie was just like his father- always getting himself into trouble.

James leant closer to her. "It's ok, Lily. Like Mol said, they won't give you anything too difficult for your first detention. You'll probably be with Hagrid and that wont be so bad. He always goes easy on us because we're family."

"I guess you're right. Thank you Jamie." Lily gulped. She hoped her detention would be with Hagrid. She adored the half-giant who was a close friend of her dad. Lily then turned her attention to the brown-haired girl. She wondered why she wasn't frightened and hadn't run off yet. Instead, the girl was smiling at her. "Taa for that", she said. "I'm Jessica, by the way. Jessica Fox. But you can call me Jess." The girl held out her hand and Lily shook it eagerly.

"I'm Lily Potter. This here is my cousin Hugo Weasley and my brother Jam- James?" Lily called out as James started to walk away from them.

"I'll see you at the sorting, Lily! Oh and I forgot to mention: Cordelia is looking for you two. She's three compartments back that way. And I've moved yours and Hugo's trunks there already. Hope you don't mind. Take care, flower!" he shouted over to her and pointed in the direction behind her.

She waved at her brother and turned to her new friend, her problems temporarily forgotten. "Come and meet my friend, Cordelia Longbottom. I actually call her Delia and she's really cool. Her father is the Herbology teacher at Hogwarts." Lily dragged a bemused Jess and Hugo to the compartment where Delia sat. Currently, Delia sat with two boys named Chester Thomas and Brian Finnegan. Lily knew them as being the sons of some of her father's friends. They were also good friends with Hugo and had spent a lot of time at the Burrow with them the previous year.

As they entered, Delia leaped to her feet and flung her arms around Lily as Lily laughed and hugged her in return. Hugo muttered the word _'girls'_ and immediately went to sit with the boys by the window while Lily and Jess sat beside Delia near the door. After a few minutes and an introduction later, they quickly changed into their school robes and Lily let Padfoot out of his cage. The small cat immediately leapt into her lap and stayed there for the rest of the journey. They later sent the boys out pick up Jess's trunks and cat carrier. As they waited, they opened a box of Bertie Botts Every Flavoured Beans that Delia had in her bag. The boys came back another moment later, carrying Jess's luggage and resumed their places by the window. Jess was shy at first but she soon warmed up as the journey progressed.

"Are you really muggle born?" Lily asked Jess eagerly as she watched her release a small Russian Blue kitten from its carrier. The tag on her collar read Myrrh.

Jessica shrugged and shyly averted her gaze as she repeatedly stroked her cat. "What does that mean?" she asked as her brows furrowed with confusion. As she did so, she grabbed hold of Myrrh who as trying to leap off her lap and attack Delia's grass owl Ariel. Thankfully, Ariel was safely secured in her cage.

"It means that your parents aren't magical. We call people who aren't witches and wizards muggles. And if both a witch or wizard's parents are muggles then we say that witch or wizard is muggle born." Lily explained as Padfoot continued to purr content in her lap.

"So can your parents do magic?" Delia pressed. She was equally interested in the new girl as Lily was.

Jess's face lit up in understanding to Delia's question and her shyness temporarily evaporated. "Oh! They can't do magic at all. Apparently, I'm the only one in the family that can. My parents had quite the shock. You see, my dad is a director and my mum an actress and so they didn't believe magic really existed. They thought it was some big joke at first and they needed a lot of convincing. Thankfully, the Headmaster was finally able to do so. My parents thought they were going crazy but when I accidentally turned my Dad's hair blue with a single thought, they finally accepted it. And so, they have now told everyone that I'm away at boarding school somewhere in Europe" she finished with a smile. Personally, Jess couldn't believe it either. And as she told the story, she couldn't help but reminisce of the day she got her Hogwart's letter.

"That's really cool", Lily said. "My daddy's mum was a muggle-born and I'm named after her. He also has a cousin who is a muggle, but we only see him occasionally." Suddenly, Jess frowned thoughtfully at Lily's mention of the word muggle again.

"What does _mudblood_ mean?" Jess asked hesitantly.

"Who called you that?" Delia and Brian asked, looking horrified. Suddenly, everyone's attention settled on Jess' face and she froze at the attention.

Looking from Jess to her friend's facial expressions, Lily answered for Jess. "Someone named Goyle called her that. He was with his friends named Malfoy and Zabini. There was another boy but I can't remember if his name was said."

A dark look spread over Delia's face as Lily mentioned their names. "Oh, I know that name: Malfoy. My Pa mentions it once or twice while at home. According to Pa, he's supposed to be bad news." she said matter-of-factly and then she shrugged. "Or I think it was his father that was the bully. Anyway, they say that the apple doesn't fall far from the tree. I bet he's just as mean and his friends are probably the same."

"Yeah, my brother hates him but I don't know why really. I guess it's because of Malfoy and his friend's views but I'm not sure. James is usually a really friendly person and I've never seen him look so mad as when he saw Malfoy threatening me", Lily said. "I suppose it could be because I'm his only sister but there seemed to be a lot more going on than that." She continued anticipating Delia's next question which Delia found amusing.

"Well, at least you showed them that they can't mess with you. That was a really impressive spell, you know. The one you put on that troll, Goyle? A real body binding curse. Really Lily, I've only read about them." Jess said in awe and everyone else laughed as those who had been there remembered Lily causing the other boy to fall face flat to the ground.

"I'm Chester by the way, Jess. My mum is the Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher and head of Ravenclaw house." Chester said to Jess as he held out his hand for her to shake. Though they'd been in the compartment together for a while, the hadn't really spoke. The boys had kept to themselves while the girls had got to know each other. "This here is Brian," he said pointing his thumb at the sandy-haired freckle-faced boy next to him. "His mum's a bit loopy. She teaches Divination", he teased.

Everyone except for Brian laughed. "Hey! My mum is NOT loopy", he said defensively, pouting.

Jess appeared confused again. "I have no idea what Divination is." she confessed.

"It's an optional class available for us to take in our third year. It's supposed to be about predicting the future and other stuff, I think. My aunt Hermione says it's a load of rubbish but my daddy is a bit more tolerant of it. Of course, he doesn't believe it can be taught. He always says 'you either have the gift or you don't'" Lily explained.

"Oh ok," Jess said looking a little overwhelmed and proceeded to stare down at her kitten. Lily looked at her sympathetically. It must be difficult for her to learn about all of this now where the rest of them had grown up with magic. After a few moments of silence, Jess asked "So what house do you think you're going to be sorted into? I've read in the book, _Hogwart's, A History,_ that there are four different houses."

Lily answered her first. "My whole family has been in Gryffindor, well apart from Nana Tonks and Aunt Audrey. So I guess me and Hugo will be sorted there as well. I can't see us sorted anywhere else no matter what my brother likes to say."

"Me mam and da were both in Gryffindor. It's a given I'd be the same." Brian said in his Irish brogue before Delia managed to chirp in with her thoughts.

"I think it's fifty-fifty for me. My Mum was a Hufflepuff and my Pa a Gryffindor. I'll be happy in either although it would be good to be in the same house with Lily…and the rest of you" she added as an afterthought when Hugo scowled at her.

Lastly, Chester answered, "My dad was also a Gryffindor. He was actually in the same year as these guys' fathers but my mum was a Ravenclaw. Her twin sister, however, was a Gryffindor. So we'll see where I end up. What about you? Which house would you like to be in, Jess?"

"I don't mind where I end up, really. Though Ravenclaw sounds the best, I also like the sound of Gryffindor." she replied as a small smile tugged at her lips.

After about another half hour through the train ride, the girls continued to bond as the boys broke away from the conversation and started talking about Quidditch. Lily herself loved Quidditch, but thought it was really rude of them to keep going on about it since Jess didn't know anything about it. As the boys talked, Lily decided to question Jess about what it was like to live without magic. Lily was going through a stage where anything about muggles fascinated her. It was an interest she had inherited from her grandfather Weasley's. She was especially interested in Jess' parents. Lily also loved muggle films. The dance ones especially were her favourite. She often tried to mimic the moves she saw in them. So she inquired Jess' opinion on them as well.

As the day drew to a close and they were nearing their destination, Lily huddled close to Delia and Jess and said, "Let's make a pact. Let's promise to be friends, no matter what house we get sorted into."

"That's the best idea ever", Jess and Delia said brightly and went ahead to conduct the pact. Little did they know that the pact they were making was a strong bond to each other. Their pact set the way to an unchanging friendship, forever.

Soon after, the train pulled up into Hogsmeade Station and all the students disembarked. The older students left in the direction of carriages being drawn by invisible animals named Theastrals. According to her father, they were only visible to those individuals that witnessed death. So many students, including her, were unable to see them. As the elder students left towards the Theastrals, the first years walked towards the groundkeeper Rubeus Hagrid. Since he was half giant it was no surprise that when Jess saw him, she was scared at first. He was a big, tall man. But as she saw Lily and Delia bound over to him and jump into his arms, she relaxed a bit. His twinkling eyes and vibrating laugh put her further at ease as she saw him joking with her new friends.

The first years were then led to a large stretch of water where several small boats waited for them. Lily, Delia and Jess climbed into a boat which already had two other girls within. They had dark skin and hair and looked identical. One of them looked at the girls with mild curiosity while the other stared down at the dark depths of the lake. When Lily saw the girl stare, she suddenly remembered that there was a giant squid that lurked beneath these waters. She tightened her grip to the side of the boat and prayed that they didn't come across it tonight.

At Hagrid's signal, the boats began to float across the surface. There were various choruses of "Ooos" and "Ahhs" when the castle came in sight and after a few minutes, the boats passed through a curtain of ivy and docked inside a large cave. Once they were secured along the dock, the first years climbed out of them and gathered around a friendly looking wizard with short, brown hair. "Good evening. I'm Professor Davies" the wizard announced. "I'm the deputy headmaster here at Hogwarts. The Sorting Hat ceremony is about to begin so please, follow me quietly." He then turned and began to lead the way for the nervous first years towards the Great Hall.

**Last edited 20/04/12. I appreciate all the faves and alerts my story gets but love comments. Thank you for taking the time to read my story. **


	4. C4: The Sorting and thereafter

_**Thank you for your reviews, faves and alerts.**_

**Chapter 4: The Sorting and Thereafter**

The great hall was not how Lily expected. Yes, she knew that there would be a long table at the end of the room with all the staff. And yes, she knew that that there were would be four long tables for each house. She even knew about the impressive ceiling that mimicked the weather outside. Her family had told her all of this. However, what she wasn't prepared for was the amount of people in the room. Hundreds of students sat staring at her and the other first years. And with the amount of stares she was receiving by herself, she had no doubt in her mind that everyone knew what had happened on the train on their way to Hogwarts.

Lily gulped and forced herself to smile. Even with a family as big as hers, it was still nerve wracking to have so many eyes laid on her. Trying to distract herself, she linked one of her arms through her cousin Hugo and glanced at him. He too looked as if he was about to be sick. His reaction was definitely not helping her settle her anxiety and Lily suddenly felt her stomach whirl unpleasantly. She then looked at Jess, Delia and the boys and saw that they all were equally as nervous.

Her eyes then drifted to the Gryffindor table where she made eye contact with each of her family members in turn. They all sat together and had open seats set aside for the new arrivals. Lily really hoped that she would be joining them. She saw that her part Veela cousins, Dominique and Louis, sat together. They were the most noticeable of her cousins. Louis had silver looking hair while Dominique's was strawberry blonde. Their hair glowed in the shinning candle light above the tables. While looking at them, Lily noticed that they drew many longing glances from other students. It almost made Lily laugh when she noticed these students catch themselves gazing at them. When they turned back to face the front, each seemed to wear a delirious expression on their face. Lily couldn't blame them. Dominique and Louis were extraordinarily beautiful and kind-hearted.

On the opposite side of the table just across from them sat Freddie and Roxanne. Their dark skin and black hair alone made them stand apart from the rest of the Weasleys. Their colouring was 'unusual' in that their hair had a reddish glow that was visible in the sun. Both had their mother's coffee brown eyes. Although their appearance was not as captivating as Louis and Dominique, they were still undoubtedly beautiful. Their reputation was just like their father's and his late twin brother, Fred, whom Freddie was named after. These Weasley cousins were always involved in mischief and pulling pranks on the other members of the family as well as other students. Uncle George was, if anything, very proud of this fact.

Next to Freddie and Roxanne, Lily saw her brothers James and Albus, or Al as the family called him, sitting together and they sat across from her cousin Rose, Hugo's sister. Lily was surprised to see the majority of her family smiling at her supportively. Rose, on the other hand, was staring straight at Hugo with a worrisome expression. Rose was probably wondering if Hugo would be sorted into Gryffindor since he had a look of fear on his face. Lily however, had no doubt in her mind that by the end of the ceremony, Hugo would be sitting with his sister. But they will have to wait a while for that confirmation since they were on the bottom of the sorting list.

Lily then looked for her cousin Lucy who waved at her when Lily caught her eyes. Lily waved back quickly and then her eyes met with Molly's. Despite the incident on the train, she didn't resent her cousin Molly for giving her a detention. Well maybe she did, but not that much. Lily knew that Molly had to set an example as Head Girl. So she nodded towards Molly to indicate that there were no hard feelings and she returned it. As Molly did so, a mop of ginger hair fell into her face. Lily barely managed to suppress her giggle at Molly's action.

As she noted Molly's hair, it made Lily think back to the despairing remark Malfoy had made on the train. Why had he assumed that she was a Weasely rather than a Potter? None of the Weasley cousins had the same shade of red hair as Lily. Lily's hair tended to be more of a flaming red and she was the only one with that colour hue. Furthermore, not all of her cousins had the trademark red hair. Take her cousins Rose and Hugo for example. Their hair was auburn. And her cousin Lucy had hers slightly more blonde than red. Not to mention Roxanne, Freddie, Louis and Dominique. Their hair was all kinds of different. There really was no logic behind Malfoy's statement. But then again, the boy obviously wasn't very intelligent if he associated himself with that fowl mouthed troll.

While pondering this thought, she scanned the hall to seek out the hostile group and wasn't surprised to find them all sitting on the Slytherin table. All four were staring at her, of course. And seemed to be muttering among themselves. As Lily watched, she saw them continuously glance towards the Gryffindor table after glancing at her. She followed their gaze and saw that they were exchanging mutinous looks with her brothers. Al, however, looked more uncomfortable than angry when he returned the glance. Lily wondered what on earth had happened between them to have both parties act this way.

_"SLYTHERIN!"_ yelled the sorting hat. At its yell, Lily turned her attention to it in surprise. She didn't realize that the sorting had begun and hadn't even heard the sorting hat sing its song. This disappointed Lily since she had been looking forward to its song all summer long. She blamed the Slytherin group for distracting her. _How could she have missed it?_

"Beatrix Avery" Hugo whispered to Lily as she watched the first student join the Slytherin House.

After cursing them silently to herself, she then made more of an effort to pay attention on the sorting. As she did, however, she still had an occasional lapse of concentration. Her eyes kept meeting up with a pair of cold grey ones that seemed to be swimming mostly with malice. There was an odd occasion that made her feel that she might be misinterpreting his demeanour. However they were brief and confusing. Furthermore, his prior behaviour was enough for her to convince herself that he didn't like her much. After a few glances, Lily huffed in frustration. She was annoyed that she kept being drawn to his steely gaze.

"Fox, Jessica!" Professor Davies shouted and Lily turned to her with an encouraging smile as Jess headed to sit on the stool. The hat had been on her head for only a few seconds before it shouted, _"RAVENCLAW!"_ Lily cheered along with the other Ravenclaw housemates as Jess made her way to sit at their table. Moments later, Delia got sorted into Hufflepuff. Lily cheered for her as well but she couldn't help feeling a bit disappointed. Professor Longbottom, Delia's father, had been in Gryffindor and Lily really hoped that Delia would be one as well. In reality, Lily was hoping to have one of her friends to be in whatever house she ended up in, but now that was very unlikely. Delia gave Lily and Jess each a regretful glance and then went to sit with the cheering Hufflepuffs.

One by one, the first year students were sorted into their respective houses. Kallin Nott and Alexander Owens joined the Slytherin house and Samantha Pike joined Ravenclaw. Finally Lily heard her own name being called out. "Potter, Lily Luna!" She let go of Hugo's arm and walked towards Professor Davies who lowered the hat onto her head.

Lily stared at the crowd who watched her intently. Some students were even craning their necks to try and get a better look. She could hear them whispering but couldn't listen what they were saying. At that moment, another voice that was coming from inside her own head distracted her.

_Now, let me see. Right…hmmm…Yes, well there's loyalty here…And an incredible mind. I also see such courage and ambition. But where shall I put you? You could do well in Ravenclaw with a mind like yours, or even Gryffindor but I think you would really blossom in house where your ambition will shine."_

Lily listened to the hat's words with growing reluctance. Ambition meant Slytherin. At this thought, Lily felt the colour drain from her face. _"__**NO!**__"_ she yelled horrified to the hat and by the sound of the murmuring around the great hall, she realized she just shouted her objection to the entire student body. She then locked eyes with the blonde boy again and he sneered at her. It seemed as if he could hear what the hat was telling her. _NO,_ she thought firmly, _NOT Slytherin! _She'd be apart from her family and she didn't like the sound of that. The hat was silent as it considered her thoughts for a few seconds and as if it was trying to find a way around her stubbornness. But Lily knew she wouldn't be happy in Slytherin, she belonged in Gryffindor.

_Very well. If you're quite sure, then better be… "GRYFFINDOR!"_

Lily sighed in relief as cheers erupted from the Gryffindor table. Lily then handed the hat back to Professor Davies. She gave it one baleful look before heading to the table furthest away from the Slytherin. Unfortunately, her relief was short lived. When she caught sight of her brother James grinning and tapping a copy of the Daily Prophet against the table, her relief switched quickly to anger. So, it seems that it was _his_ fault that she was nearly sorted into Slytherin! Bloody James! He jinxed her!

At this grinning face, Lily snatched the newspaper out of James hand and proceeded to hit him over the head with it, over and over again. "What the hell is wrong with you Flower? Have you gone psycho on me or what?" James yelled snatching the paper away from her and holding it out of her reach. Lily glared into his chocolate brown eyes that were identical to their mother's. The hall erupted into laughter at the hilarity of this scene.

She ignored the laughter and said, "That was for jinxing me last night. That _ridiculous_ hat-" she yelled pointing at the sorting hat that was now on the head of another student "tried to put me in Slytherin. SLYTHERIN, James… SLY - THE - RIN!" Lily continued, trying to make James see her point.

James burst out laughing at this while the rest of the hall broke out in whispers again. Lily instantly regretted her outburst, but not her action towards James. Her action, she felt, was quite justified. After a few moments, a coughing noise emerged from the teachers table and Lily took this a sign for her to sit down. She took a seat next to her other brother, Al and away from James. With a huff, she crossed her arms and glared at the Slytherin table at the other side of the hall.

The Malfoy boy, she noticed, was in fits of laughter as he seemed to have witnessed the absurdity between her and her older brother. The handsome boy, the sloth and the one that looked like a troll were laughing along with him. Watching them, Lily wanted to cry out in anger but worked hard to suppress it. She also fought the urge to storm over to their table and throttle them the muggle way. She had no idea why she felt so angry but she didn't like it. Luckily, as she continued to try to calm herself, a small voice broke into her thoughts.

"It's ok, Lily. The hat tried to put me there too", her brother Al admitted quietly and Lily looked at him in amazement. Al looked so much like their father. He even had the same build and the same emerald eyes.

Although Lily considered herself closer to James, Al always seemed to know how to cheer her up. "Really Al? You're not just making that up to make me feel better?" she asked.

He nodded and said, "It really did almost put me in Slytherin. And dad too!" She gawked at him when he told her this. If anyone else had shared this bit of news to her other than Al, she probably wouldn't have believed them. Lily could always tell when Al told her the truth through his complexion. When he told a lie, he always blushed. When he said the truth, he was pale. And at that moment, Al was perfectly pale.

Feeling much better by Al's words, Lily smiled at Chester and Hugo when they joined the Gryffindor table. They sat on either side of Brian, who was sorted there earlier, and they all seemed to be elated that they were in the same house. At their interaction, Lily grew somewhat jealous that Hugo was able to have his friends in the same house with him. As for her, they were all in different houses and that didn't seem fair. But then she remembered that she and her friends had made that pact on the train. The pact had to mean something, right? With that in mind, she turned her attention back to the _almost forgiven _sorting hat. There were only two girls left and Lily recognized them instantly as the twin girls that had been in the boat with her friends. In the light of the great hall, she saw that both of them were really pretty. Their noses were straight, they had full lips and high cheekbones.

"Zabini, Magdalana!" Professor Davies called out. One of the twins took her place on the stool confidently. Lily recalled that the handsome Slytherin boy had the same surname, Zabini. Lily guessed that these girls were probably his sisters. As she watched the girl sitting on the stool, she noticed that the girl's face grew less and less confident. When the hat finally called out _"GRYFFINDOR!"_ the poor girl burst into tears.

There was an outcry from the Slytherin table that carried over the Gryffindor's cheers and the girls' sobs. "What dragon dung!" the handsome boy yelled, standing up on the bench. "Make her wear it again! That hat is broken!" With a wave of Headmaster Croston's hand, the room fell back into near silence. At this silence, the girl Magdalana made her way meekly towards the seat next to Lily as her identical twin Margarita got sorted into Slytherin.

Lily couldn't help but feel sorry for her. "Magdalana? You don't mind if I call you Maggie, do you?" The girl looked at her through watery black eyes and shook her head. Lily smiled encouragingly. "It's going to be ok! You are going to love being here in Gryffindor."

The girl blinked. "I'm not upset about being in Gryffindor. You saw how Duanne reacted! My family is going to kill me! Zabini's have all been in Slytherin for many generations. Granted my mother went to Magic School in Greece so she wasn't a Slytherin. But my Dad's family have all been in Slytherin. They're going to be disappointed and I don't need this on top of everything else." Maggie said and stopped abruptly without further explanation of what she meant by that. Lily looked over at the Slytherin table towards Duanne Zabini. Duanne was currently sending death glares towards the headmaster as he spoke to the student body.

"…I remind everyone that the forbidden forest is out of bounds for all students! And on that final note, may the feast begin." No sooner had the headmaster finished, the tables became full of every kind of food imaginable and the feast officially began.

After the feast, Lily and Maggie met up with Jess and Delia. Unbeknownst to either of the girls, the next few years would form a lifelong friendship for the foursome that would weather the test of time. They said their goodbyes after a few minutes and followed their house leaders to their common room and so began their new school year journey.

Throughout her school year, Lily knew she was safe from the Slytherin quartet while her family kept a watch. Lily soon found out that the offensive Slytherins were Scorpius Malfoy, Duanne Zabini, Terence Goyle and Thomas Warrington. Without fail, the boys would take advantage when her family was not present to jinx and hex Lily and her friends. In retaliation, the girls responded with as much enthusiasm as provoked. Maggie especially relished in this competition as much as the others despite being Duanne's sister. On several occasions, the girls would sometimes acquire a very reluctant Hugo, Chester and Brian to fight in their battles.

At first, their little war started out as a bit of fun and had landed them all in a number of detentions. However, things began to change when they got caught fighting in a hallway. And so, just after Christmas, the eight of them had received howlers from each of their parents. Those howlers were definitely not a fun experience that either of them wanted to repeat. Therefore, in order to avoid them, it was then mutually decided that they become sneaky in their attempts for revenge.

Despite the distraction of these wars, Lily discovered that she excelled in all her classes. It seemed that there was little need for her to have practiced as she had done. She was a natural. Her main rivals for the top spot of the class were her cousin Hugo, a blonde-haired and blue eyed boy in Ravenclaw- Tobias Jasper and her friend Jess. Maggie also turned out to be a talented witch but was content to sail through the year on natural ability rather than strain herself with too much studying. Unfortunately, the one person that seemed to struggle the most was Delia, but Lily and Hugo were always willing to help her when she needed it. She didn't mind helping Delia catch up because her friends often did their work together.

Lily's favourite subject without a doubt was potions, despite that fact that the teacher Professor Daphne Greengrass seemed to dislike her. She also enjoyed Transfiguration, Charms and Defence Against the Dark Arts. Her least favourite classes were History of Magic and Astronomy. The reason for her dislike with History of Magic was because the class was taught by a ghost who was so dreary in his speech and made the class boring instead of interesting. As for the latter class, she just didn't enjoy being dragged out of bed at midnight for it. Nevertheless, Lily was thoroughly enjoying her first year at Hogwarts with her family and friends.

When Lily's second year started, it felt a bit strange for her since three of cousins had graduated. Freddie was now working in his father's joke shop in Diagon Alley, Molly had started her internship at the Ministry of Magic and Dominique started her job at Madam Primpernelle's Beautifying Potions store. Despite them being gone, this year also brought Lily new experiences as well. She was accepted on the Gryffindor Quidditch team as their Seeker while her brother James was their Keeper and Al as one of the Beaters. She also formed a close bond with her team mates without losing contact with her best friends. Speaking of her friends, they always sat in during her practices despite their lack of interest in the sport. All of them were so proud of Lily and supported her through and through.

The second year flew by and the four girl's friendship seemed to cement itself further. The girls were hardly seen apart during their free time and they would alternate house tables during mealtimes. The girl quartet was also accepted among the Weasley-Potter clan and their conflict between the Slytherin boys was reduced to nothing more than exchanged insult here and there. They managed to get through the year without earning themselves any detentions or howlers. At the end of that school year, her cousin Roxanne graduated from Hogwarts and had gone to work with her mother Angelina at the ministry.

As Lily's third year began, her cousins Louis and Lucy had become Head boy and Head girl. Since her cousin Roxanne graduated last year, her presence was definitely missed by all and the practical jokes were now non-existent or the same. Despite her family numbers being dwindled smaller at Hogwarts that year; Lily received a bit of good news from Teddy. According to his latest owl, Teddy had decided to move into a cottage in Hogsmeade. His news overjoyed her since it was nice to have another member of the family nearby. Especially now that Lily was allowed to visit Hogsmeade. This gave her another reason to visit. On one of her Hogsmeade visits, Teddy shared with her his intent to ask Victoire to marry him. It took several more months afterwards when he finally managed to get the courage to ask her. Victoire said yes but that was no surprise to anyone. It was only a matter of time. Regardless, Lily was very happy for Teddy and Victoire all the same. Teddy was officially going to become a part of her family.

Back within the grounds of Hogwarts, the Slytherin Quidditch team got revamped and got new additions. Scorpius Malfoy, Duanne Zabini and Thomas Warrington ended up joining their house team. Thomas Warrington may have been sloth-like with his feet on the ground but in the air he was a rather talented Beater. He did tend to cheat though, all the Slytherin team did. Through this, their taunts towards Lily got gradually worse. The rivalry between them and Lily increased but mainly remained on the Quidditch field. Nevertheless, Delia, Jess and Maggie were always there to back her up as were her family. This year too seemed to fly and by the end of it, she was again forced to say goodbye. This time, to both Louis and Lucy as they graduated from Hogwarts as well.

At the beginning of Lily's fourth year, James found himself as the Head boy. This was both a surprise and shock to him and his family. No one had seen that coming. James was reluctant to have the responsibility thrown at him, but he handled it well. Lily later received news from both Louis and Lucy. Louis got recruited by the Quidditch team Westgate Winged Horses and was to be their new star Chaser. As for Lucy, she had begun her apprenticeship at Madame Malkin's shop despite her father's wishes that she should join the Ministry.

As her fourth year progressed, Lily noticed that her school workload gradually got heavier as her OWLs were quickly approaching. Furthermore, with hormones going awry, Lily also noticed that the animosity between her friends and the four Slytherins grew to a new level that none of them could have predicted. They were no longer keeping the rivalry on the Quidditch pitch. Now, they spent almost every week in detention and getting many angry Howlers from their parents. Things turned for the worst when Lily almost drowned in the black lake. Her brothers and parents ended up getting involved and things got nasty. Lily's parents came very close to pulling her out of Hogwarts. In the end, Lily Potter convinced them otherwise and promised to try to better her behaviour.

With this increased animosity and current incident between them, both groups found it difficult to keep their disputes under the radar. However, they did manage to get only a few minor detentions but no more major incidents. Lily thanked Merlin when that school year finally ended.

**Last edited 20/04/12. I appreciate all the faves and alerts my story gets but love comments. Thank you for taking the time to read my story. **


	5. C5: Back on the Hogwarts Express

_**Thank you for your faves, alerts and comments.**_

**Chapter 5: Back on the Hogwarts Express **

Lily was ecstatic when she learned she was made Quidditch Captain over her older team mates. It finally gave her parents a good thing to say about her for once. _Well done Lils, _they had congratulated. This certainly was a more enjoyable to hear than the usual agro she received last year: _Can't you please just behave yourself, for once? Honestly, I had never expected you to act this way. I'm so disappointed in you._ Or Lily's favourite: _You're going to send your grandparents to an early grave with all the trouble you're getting into. _Honestly, if her grandparents were really that delicate, then her parents shouldn't be complaining about her to them. That way the problem would be solved! Either way, Lily knew her grandparents were tough. They had brought up seven children on their own, two who were big trouble makers. And every Christmas, they housed all of their grandchildren and their parents for the entire holiday.

More to the point, Lily becoming the Quidditch Captain was a remarkable feat. It was a rare occurrence that a fifth year be appointed the position. And so, she had been in a state of smugness all the way down to platform 9 ¾. That is, until she realized that she would be limited to two compartments on the Hogwarts Express. At that new thought, she began cursing the fates that had landed her in this predicament. This meant that she would see her ex-boyfriend in one of those compartments as well. And her friends were nowhere close by since they had duties to perform.

This was sort of a bummer since she didn't get to talk to them much during the summer. Her Aunt Hermione had insisted on taking her and Rose on a world tour. Their only correspondence had been via owl or mobile phone. The latter was a handy muggle contraption that Jess insisted they use. Lily had hoped to have spent her time on the train catching up with them before the sorting. At the great hall, they would each have to sit at their own house tables for the sorting ceremony. Unfortunately, Lily didn't have much luck today.

Besides Lily being given the captaincy, her three friends had been made prefects. They were currently on patrol with the other newly appointed prefects along with the Head Boy Harrison Davies. Harrison was the Deputy Headmaster's son. So frustratingly, she was being sandwiched between Al and Rose and it was not a happy picnic. Al was currently a resentful seventh year prefect, having missed out the Head Boy position while Rose was made Head Girl. This meant that poor Rose had to disguise her glee while sitting close to Al so he wouldn't start complaining again.

Though her brother's bitterness wasn't helping things, the person across from Lily was the main reason for her current foul mood. The sixth year Gryffindor prefect, Eoin McLaggen, sat with arms locked around a Hufflepuff prefect from the same year. Lily judged her as being a bit on the plain side and it seemed the girl resembled a chipmunk. The girl's mousy hair, fragile frame and freckles did nothing to help Lily's ego. What on earth did Eoin _see_ in that scrawny rodent?

Lily could only glower at the pair since further action would attract the attention of her brother. She was in no mood to see him pissed off. Al was already close to a boiling point as it was. Lily couldn't believe that she had spent the majority of the previous school year dating that lout in front of her, just so he could trade her in for _that_!

If Lily was honest with herself, she knew she wouldn't normally be thinking such harsh thoughts about the Hufflepuff girl. She was just bitter that her first relationship had ended badly- at least on her part. Lily wasn't willing to recognize that she was jealous or hurt just yet. Lily then made a sound of disgust and glanced at her reflection in the train window. She was so different from the Hufflepuff and she wondered how Eoin's taste could vary so much.

Lily had definitely become more curvaceous over the summer but her fondness for quidditch kept her toned. Lucy was supermodel skinny with bones jutting out sharply, Lily didn't find that pretty but she guessed boys thought differently. There was no way she was going to starve herself to make her more appealing that way. Her thoughts drifting from the differences in their figures Lily's thoughts moved to her skin. Her own alabaster skin was naturally flawless and if any blemishes were to appear, her cousin Dominique would supply her with any potion she needed to clear them up. Lucy's skin was darker and Lily hated that the Hufflepuff's sun kissed skin was attractive. The girls hair was nothing to talk about though. The mousey colour couldn't decide if it was blonde or brown whereas Lily's hair was a vivid red. Eoin always seemed to admire her waist length vivid red hair. In fact, he had spent countless times twisting the silky locks around his fingers when they used to lie by the lake - watching the giant squid bask lazily in the sunlight.

Lily knew she was pretty but that was not to say that Lily was being narcissistic. Lily was constantly being told she was beautiful by numerous admirers. She had also received a number of love letters during the summer, though all these letters were from boys she had no interest in, they thought she was pretty. Furthermore, her father reinforced the opinion by the worried glances he'd kept sending her mother's way every time he laid eyes on Lily. In her present mood Lily couldn't find anything attractive about Lucy's facial features. Lily sighed wondering what was so wrong with her that Eoin had felt he had to dump her for Lucy. If she was a horrible person then she would understand, but she wasn't. Lily had lots of friends in different houses and it had nothing to do with her family's fame. People liked to be around her, especially when she was happy. Her mood was infectious.

Since her looks were causing such a stir in the opposite sex, Lily was certain that Al was on strict instructions from the whole family to ward off any guy that looked her way. Lily guessed that could put Eoin off here. Who wanted to be hounded by their girlfriends brother after all. Unfortunately, this also meant that it was going to be tough for her to seek revenge on Eoin. _How on earth would she find a guy to make Eoin jealous if her brother wouldn't let guys anywhere near her?_ Lily supposed that Eoin should be grateful that she wanted to seek revenge herself. If she wasn't, all she needed to do was tell her brother or Hugo how much he'd hurt her by the cruel way he broke things off with her, and Eoin would be in the hospital wing for a month. She smirked at the image of him lying there, all broken and bloody. But that was definitely not the route she was planning to take. She wasn't a fan of violence unless it was directed towards a certain Slytherin, but fantasising about it every once in a while didn't hurt anyone.

It was absurd to think that he had ended things with her because of her age. Like he was so much more mature! He was only a year older than she and weren't boys supposed to be as intellectually mature as girls two years younger than them? Lily was certain she'd read that in one of her muggle books. Eoin definitely deserved more than an extended trip to the hospital wing. He deserved public humiliation. But she supposed that sending out a sly bat-bogey hex wouldn't help things or keep her out of trouble.

Lily felt movement to her right and turned to see Rose look her way. Lily looked into her cousin's sympathetic mocha eyes and she wanted to scream in frustration at them. Rose knew her so well now. Their trip over the summer had brought the pair closer than before. Lily had confided in her about _everything_ and was sure to see how Eoin was making her feel.

"Do you want me to hex him for you? I know some good ones", Rose offered quietly, trying to avoid Al's attention.

Lily smirked. "I'm quite capable of doing that myself, thanks". She already had her hands flexing for her wand that was concealed in her robes pocket. As Lily turned her gaze back to Eoin and she felt instantly sick. He was kissing his new girlfriend in a way that was too passionate to be made public. Before she knew it, Lily reached for her bag and flew out of the door. She distinctly heard Rose warning the others not to follow her.

Lily stood with her back against the compartment door, with her eyes shut as tears of rage began to spill down her cheeks. At least, Lily convinced herself that the tears were due to rage. That callous, unfeeling, pig-headed pompous GIT! Why oh why did he have to kiss that hamster girl right in front of her? He'd done it intentionally, she was certain of it. His bright blue eyes had locked with hers just before she fled. She wanted to curse his balls off! Then, what use would he be? Hell, she wanted to sink to the floor and sob until her tears ran dry. She'd never felt so miserable.

A hoarse cough caught Lily's attention. When she snapped her eyes open, she remembered why she had tolerated being in the other compartment. Apart from her, there were five other students in that second compartment. All of which were Slytherin. Lily groaned inwardly and wiped her tears away. She then fashioned a look of distain on her face.

Two of the students by the window completely ignored her. They were too engrossed in a game of exploding snap. The three nearest, however, looked up at her. The dangerously handsome Slytherin Quidditch Captain and brother of her best friend, Duanne Zabini, was sprawled lazily across the bench. Across from him, and glaring at her with venomous eyes, sat Scorpius Malfoy. His armed was draped over a dark-haired Slytherin girl who was laying her head snugly on his lap. The girl looked as if she'd been dropped by her parents as a baby. While looking at Lily, she had yawned and tried to edge impossibly closer to Malfoy.

"Look at what we have here!" Malfoy exclaimed. He shoved the Slytherin girl off him easily and got up to approach Lily. This gained her a reproachful look from the girl but Lily couldn't care less. Her gaze was fixed on the approaching threat that loomed towards her. She still hadn't forgiven him from trying to drown her in the lake last year. She wondered what jinx he was going to send her way this time. Whatever it turned out to be, Lily had learnt a bunch of new curses during her time in Egypt. And she was itching to try them out. But she wouldn't make the first move, though. She always let him provoke her first. That way, she could honestly tell her parents that she didn't start it. And when Lily would say this to her parents, all they would do is give her a slap on the wrist or a bit of an earful through the occasional howler. Apart from that one time when they threatened to pull her out of school, her punishments had never been severe.

Malfoy was close enough to touch her now. His angular face only inches away from hers. She supposed he could be considered good-looking. That was until he opened his mouth. Then he became the most unattractive person in existence. Lily's lips tightened in disappointment when he moved so close to her. His being this close meant that they may not have a duel after all. So Lily continued to stare into the icy depths of his eyes. There was a gleam in them that relished in provoking her stubborn glower.

He reached towards her then, slowly enough for her to keep her cool. She wouldn't flinch from his touch, no matter how much it repulsed her. His long slender fingers flicked at the Gryffindor Quidditch Captain badge pinned on her chest.

"Look Zabini," he turned to look at the boy who seemed more bored than anything. "I keep saying that it's foolishness rather than bravery that the Gryffindors value the most. It seems they're giving their captainship to children now."

It happened in a flash. One minute Malfoy was standing inches away from her, a mocking expression on his arrogant face. In the next, he was sprawled across the floor cupping his nose as dark crimson blood gushed down his face and staining his expensive shirt. "That bloody bitch broke my nose!" he spluttered through a mouthful of blood. The girl that was with Malfoy leapt to his side, trying to help him while the other Slytherins looked from Lily to the blonde boy in shock.

Lily soothed her tender knuckles and realized she had two choices: One, she could either smooth things over in here in order to stay. Or two, she could return to the other compartment and face Eoin with his new girlfriend. Neither choice sounded appealing to her.

"Looks like your choices are limited." Zabini remarked in a smooth cool voice. He seemed to hold no portrayal of concern for his best friend who still lay in a heap on the floor. Lily thought this to be odd considering how close they were. Maggie had explained they were more like brothers than friends. Lily felt Duanne looking at her before catching the gaze of his beetle-black eyes. They were unreadable as was his face at that instant. She sighed and something about her facial expression had him nodding. Lily reluctantly reached for her wand and pointed it at Malfoy.

The Posie Montague sprawled protectively over him, fearing that Lily was going to inflict more damage to him. At this, Zabini rolled his eyes and ordered, "Move, Posie. She's not foolish enough to curse him." Posie allowed the struggling Scorpius to escape her hold. Lily's eyes gleamed as she considered for a second to send a stunning spell in Malfoy's direction. _I could take on these Slytherins_, she thought gleefully. However, she suddenly thought of her friends and how disappointed they would be if they missed out. _And lest she forget MacLaggen was next door_. Besides, the anger behind the punch actually had nothing to do with the Slytherin and everything to do with Eoin. The Slytherin had just hit a sore spot that was all.

Eoin had dumped her because she wouldn't take their relationship to the next level and he hadn't liked that. So he finished with her saying that he was looking for a more adult relationship - that she was too much of a child still. Lily knew she should be grateful that he was behind her since there was no way she was going to let any boy pressure her into doing something she wasn't ready for, but it still hurt.

With a sigh, she waved her wand and a loud crack sounded. Malfoy yelled as his nose slotted back in line. He touched it tentatively and then turned his threatening gaze to her again. Their eyes met and molten gold clashed with turbulent silver. Lily no longer feared those eyes. The eyes were of the boy's father and grandfather. Though Lily used to be haunted by those eyes in her dreams when younger, she was used to them now. She had tested the limits of Malfoy's precious self-control many times and realized she had nothing to fear. So at his glare, Lily arched a crimson eyebrow. She then conjured a white handkerchief as a peace offering and as a temporary truce. She could only hope the truce lasted until they stepped foot on Hogwarts soil.

Zabini laughed as Malfoy snatched the handkerchief from her and sat on the bench. He wiped the blood from his face. Lily smirked as she saw Posie try to fuss over him while Malfoy pushed her away forcefully. He then moved to sit next to Zabini. At this, Posie glared at Lily as if she was to blame for the cold shoulder Malfoy had given her and went to join the two students by the window.

Lily could have sat anywhere but decided to sit in the seat the girl had left. She stared up at the ceiling humming to herself as she did so. It was a habit she'd picked up from Delia. There was rarely a day passed where the Hufflepuff went without humming joyfully. Lily's humming was interrupted when she heard an echo of deep laughter and turned to look at Zabini. All of a sudden, she saw the opportunity she craved in that ridiculously handsome face of his. Her revenge to get back at McLaggen. What would irritate him more than seeing her putting the charm on a Slytherin? A Slytherin…Lily couldn't stop herself from smiling as the thoughts flowed. A Slytherin would not be deterred by her overbearing brother and cousin. And she was certain that this Slytherin definitely did NOT see her as a _child_! Furthermore, this plan also had the added benefit of annoying Malfoy in a non-aggressive way.

Mimicking what he cousin Dominique would do, Lily stood up suddenly, acting all innocent, and unbuttoned her robe. Underneath it, she revealed her short pleated grey skirt and the white shirt she was wearing. She heard a sharp intake of breath as she bent over to lay her robe across the seat, but paid no attention to it. She then turned away from the boys so that they couldn't see her smiling, it would give her away instantly, and retrieved a jotter, quill and box of Berty Botts Every Flavour Beans from her bag.

Casually, she turned around to face them while avoiding eye contact and stretched. Afterwards, she proceeded to lift her bag onto the rack above them. Pretending to be fumbling with the ties of her bag, she shot a quick glance down at them. Malfoy was wearing his usual neutral mask while he edged away from her. Zabini, however, had gone all rigid. His eyes were transfixed on her purposely revealed midriff. _Lily 1-boys 0,_ Lily thought with a smile.

"What the hell it that?" Duanne asked suddenly when he finally came out of his temporary stupor.

Lily took a couple of steps back. "What?" she snapped, faking annoyance.

Duanne pointed at her belly button. "That thing sticking out of your navel?"

Lily lifted her shirt slightly, revealing more skin and flicked at the silver bar with a baby pink jewelled lily on one end. "Duh, it's a piercing", she stated matter-of-factly and looked at him. He currently had a look of having his brain lobotomized and was still staring at her navel. Malfoy was looking anywhere but her directly.

When Zabini finally came to, he still looked confused and said, "A what?"

Lily sighed. "It's a form of muggle jewellery. They get a needle…" at his continued confusion, Lily explained further, "a sharp piece of metal and they shove it through the skin. Afterwards, they put a jewelled rod in its place. Maggie actually dared me to get it done last Easter." Lily smiled. There was no way she was going to tell him that Maggie got one too.

Duanne grunted at he nickname for his sister. "That's barbaric" he gasped but still didn't look away from it.

"That's muggles for you", Scorpius sneered without looking up from a book he was now flicking through.

"Play nice, Malfoy." Lily chimed. She then playfully stroked his cheek with a manicured nail and he flinched at her touch. "You can return to your usual dour self once we get to school." At her remark, she gained one of his infamous glowers. Though the look in his shark-like gaze seemed different that usual. It unsettled her but Lily didn't bother to attempt to work out what emotion flickered in the depths of his eyes. Coming from Malfoy it wouldn't be good.

Lily shrugged and sat herself on top of her school robes. She curled her feet under her and began scribbling in her jotter, making amendments to some sketches of formalwear she was designing for her and her friends.

"Lily?" Zabini asked after some time. Lily glanced at him, surprised that he'd used her first name.

"Duanne?" she replied curtly, following his lead.

Duanne grinned mischievously. "Want one?" he asked, reaching over and offering her a chocolate frog.

She returned his grin with a flirtatious one of her own as she leaned forward to look at it suspiciously. "I don't think so. They always kind of creep me out. Since they move in such a life-like way, the thought of eating one…" she trailed off and shuddered "I'm a vegetarian."

"Funny creatures those vegetarians." Duanne teased and chuckled. He proceeded to offer her a liquorice wand instead that looked much more appealing.

"Sure. I trust you've not poisoned it", she said and took it.

She leaned back in her seat in satisfaction and sucked on the liquorice wand, savouring its taste. Liquorice was one of those flavours you either loved or hated- Lily loved it. Through her peripheral view, she saw Duanne gaped at her while Scorpius' lips tighten. Lily frowned at their reactions and suddenly realized how suggestive her actions appeared. She took a bite out of the sweet and smiled sweetly at Zabini. Malfoy gave her a stony glare. He appeared unimpressed with her flirtatious banter with his best friend, no matter how unintentional it seemed. _Too bad_, Lily thought and she returned her gaze to her jotter. 2-0 to Lily! Dominique would be proud indeed!

"Potter?" Zabini then croaked at her, referring to her last name as usual.

"Yes, Zabini?" she smiled innocently.

"Why are you here and not with your precious Gryffindors? You guys tend to hang around in packs. Especially, you Potters and Weasleys."

Lily frowned, sourness seeping back into her tone. "And you Slytherin don't? Here I thought you were quite happy with this little truce. But I guess not." She got up from her seat, snatched her things and headed for the door.

"Lily, wait!" Duanne grabbed hold of her arm preventing her from leaving. She glared at his hand and then towards the door. The moment she looked, she felt sick. Through the pane of glass she could see MacLaggen making out with that Hufflepuff prefect. She then reached for her wand and sent a spell at the door. The glass transformed into solid metal so that the scene could not disturb her anymore. Unfortunately, she wasn't quick enough to prevent the image from being burned into her memory. And she wasn't quick enough to stop the two boys from discovering the cause for her reaction. With a huff, she returned to her seat. Malfoy was shaking his head while still looking at his book and Zabini sat in silence staring at the floor.

Suddenly, the door opened and Lily glowered at it. "Lily!" the searching voice belonging to her cousin Rose sounded, followed by the appearance of her freckled-face and bushy auburn hair. "There is no need to go defacing school property!" Rose's gaze then flicked towards the Slytherins and Malfoy stared back at her. She flushed and then stared back at Lily before closing the compartment door behind her. "You won't be able to hide your jealousy from your brother if you keep acting like this. He's already guessed that something is up. He's not stupid, you know."

"I'm not jealous I just don't want to have to see that. It's disgusting." Lily complained.

Scorpius sniggered and muttered something about "trash" to Zabini. Zabini then hit him for his efforts. "What? Oh, you gotta be shitting me", Malfoy complained, rubbing the sore spot of his arm. Rose met Malfoy's eyes again and her eyes narrowed at his comment. After that, the girls chose to ignore them.

"It was either that or cause him bodily harm", Lily sighed and shuffled in her seat so Rose could sit beside her. Rose cradled Lily's hands in hers and nodded quietly. The two girls continued to talk in hushed tones, ignoring the reproachful looks from the two Slytherins across them.

It was not long after this when Delia, Maggie and Jess came back from their patrol and found them. Maggie's sister Margarita was with them since she'd been made a Slytherin prefect as well. At their arrival, Lily and Rose stood up and moved to the other side of the compartment so they could all sit together. Duanne followed Lily with his beetle-black eyes as Margarita took their vacated seats. They didn't speak again. Her friends didn't seem to notice or question their new seating arrangements and began to catch up on their summer activities all the way to Hogsmeade station. Their conversation continued as they sat in the Theastral drawn carriage on their way to the castle.

Before the girls entered the hall, Duanne caught up with Lily. "Enjoy the feast Beautiful." He said in a dreamy manner and then headed to the Slytherin table with his friends. The comment left Lily blushing and Maggie watching her curiously as they headed to their own table. Lily knew her best friend would have a few questions to ask her when they were back at the dormitory that evening, but she had no idea how to answer them.

The feast turned out to be pretty much the same as the previous years. Except that now, Lily only had four family members left sitting on that Gryffindor table. They proceeded to applaud as the new sorted Gryffindors joined their table. After the meal Maggie and Hugo, the new Gryffindor prefects, began their charge of looking after the first years and Lily tagged along since she had nothing better to do. And so began Lily's fifth year.

**Last edited 20/04/12. I appreciate all the faves and alerts my story gets but love comments. Thank you for taking the time to read my story. **


	6. C6: Laughter by the Lake

_Thank you for reading and reviewing_

**Chapter 6: Laughter by the Lake**

With the first week of lessons finally over, Lily and her friends took advantage of the last warm day of the year. Scrolls of parchment littered the lawn as the girls caught up on their mountain of homework they'd let build over the week.

Lily was the first to finish. "I'm so bored", she complained after a few minutes of watching her friends work. She lay on her chest and began transfiguring scrap pieces of parchment into lilies. Lilies were her favourite flower but she'd never received them from her numerous admirers. They tended to opt out for roses, tulips or some other flower instead. They probably thought that giving her lilies would be too corny.

She pinched the perfect everlasting white lily she transfigured between her fingers and flicked her mass crimson locks away from her face. She tucked the lily behind her ear. Maggie, Lily's friend that was closest of her four, sat propped up next to her with her legs stretched out in front of her. She had the same bored expression on her face as she decapitated daisies with her wand.

She caught Lily's eye while she combed her fingers through her ebony hair. At that moment, her hair gave off a blue sheen in the late summer sun. With an exaggerated sigh, Maggie closed her heavily lashed eyelids and tilted her head towards the sun allowing the rays to warm her. "Just hurry up and finish your essays so we can do something fun" Maggie stated in an uninterested tone to the girls. "And stop murdering snails, Delia" she added as a bang echoed around them and a puff of smoke lingered.

Even Jess looked up from the epic fifteen scroll essay she was writing. Lily didn't understand Jess' writing tenacity at times. She personally preferred to keep her essays short and sweet and the teachers seemed to like that. As long as it contained the relevant information they asked, that was all that mattered. Unfortunately, there was no convincing Jess of that.

Delia's round face screwed up into a scowl at Maggie's comment. "Well, I'm sorry if _I _can't work out the vanishing spell on snails successfully like _you _three." She remarked tartly but the melodious chime of her voice still rang true. Transfiguration wasn't her best subject although she did reasonably well in other classes. "I just keep blowing up these little guys. It's _horrible_."

At Delia's genuinely upset face, Lily dug inside her robes to find the wand her Uncle George had given her many years ago. She tossed it to Delia. "Here, try this!"

"Oh, why didn't I think about that?" Delia exclaimed turning the wand around in her hand. She attempted the spell again and it glowed red. Looking a bit disgruntled, she looked back at Lily. "Those poor snails met an explosive end for no reason", she grumbled. The other three girls laughed.

Lily hopped to her feet and reached out for Delia's hands. Delia took Lily's hands without question and was dragged to her feet. Lily then cocked her head towards Maggie and Jess who grinned knowingly in response. As Lily dragged Delia towards the bank of the lake, Maggie and Jess followed while levitating the remnants of the snails in front of them.

"Let's take a minute of silence to lament the loss of our slimy friends", Maggie ordered dramatically. The three of them stood to attention and held their wands held above their hearts as Maggie lowered the snails into the lake. Afterwards, Maggie imitated the stance of her friends. They all closed their eyes and bowed their heads in mocked anguish.

Thirty seconds into their minute of silence, an emerald eyed boy with untidy black hair stepped besides Lily. "What are you doing?" he questioned curiously. Lily didn't need to look up to know who it was.

"Shove off, Al. You're ruining the ambience", she hissed but their was no malice in her tone.

At her hiss, Albus rolled his eyes and walked away, saying a sarcastic "_Sor-ry." _Lily smirked to herself and followed Albus' retreating form through her thin slit eyes. When the minute was up, they opened their eyes and grinned brazenly at each other before resuming their place on the lawn. Lily sent a friendly wave over to her brother and caught a glimpse of him rolling his eyes at her again.

"Ergh, this week has been ghastly. I never imagine that studying for our OWLs would be this difficult. I can't even imagine what our NEWTs are going to be like", Jess complained as she picked up another scroll and began writing again.

Lily raised her brows and gazed at Jess in utter disbelief. It probably wouldn't take Jess nearly as long to finish if she wasn't determined to write a novel in response of each question! "Stop whining, Jess. We've all got to do them. It's your own fault that you're slow!" Lily joked. Jess gasped and flung her scroll to the ground and glared at Lily. At this, Lily gave her a _what you going to do about it _look to which Jess responded by leaping on her.

The force of the collision sent the girls rolling down the gentle slope. "Ahhh! Jess!" Lily chuckled and ended up pinning her down. Jess was in hysterics.

"Behave you two! You're attracting a scene", Maggie called down at them in disapproval. Lily ducked and planted a sloppy kiss on Jess's cheek. Jess pulled a face and then they both saw Maggie roll her eyes.

"You're only jealous!" Jess and Lily called back together which started off another round of laughter.

"What the hell are you looking at?" Maggie snapped at the small group of first years that had started to form around them. They were standing, pointing and muttering amongst themselves until Maggie's hostile glower had them fleeing through the grounds.

Upon noticing the audience Jess went all quiet, as she usually did when it wasn't the four of them. She may have conquered her shyness while only her friends were about but she froze up when others were around. Lily had always thought Jess' reactions to crowds to be strange considering her parents professions. Lily knew that muggle actors and singers attracted lots of crowds and the attention of other muggle in a similar way to how her family was treated in the Magical world. Everyone wanted to know every little detail about those the classed as famous.

Lily stood up and brushed off the flecks of grass from her clothes. "Awww. Stop scaring the first years, Maggie. Your sister does a good enough job at that."

Maggie wore a haughty expression. "Bite me!" she barked. Lily crawled back up the incline while playfully baring her teeth and snapping them until they all finally broke down into fits of laughter again.

Once they settled down, Delia hummed as she started on her Defense Against the Dark Arts essay while Jess resumed her own. Lily and Maggie started a game of muggle snap until they got bored of it. The pair then began looking around, searching for something else to entertain themselves with. After a few minutes, they began to fidget restlessly again.

"Ok ok, let's work on our tan", Jess suggested when she saw their reactions and finally put her essay away. Delia partially scowled at the suggestion and continued to pore over her unfinished essay.

Maggie, who had started charming her fingernails as she toyed with different tints of red, glanced over at Jess frowning. "I don't need a tan," she replied curtly showing off her Mediterranean skin.

"And I'm fine in the shade, thank you very much!" Lily added, as she flicked a toadstool across the grass.

"Not going for the lobster look this year, Lils?" Maggie smirked.

Lily threw a toadstool she'd just picked at Maggie. "That was not my fault! I fell asleep. That History of Magic exam last summer was so boring. As soon as I laid on the grass, I was out like a light."

"So, what do you guys want to do?" Jess asked since they still hadn't decided.

"Same old, same old?" Maggie shrugged, referring to the usual game they played to pass the time. Lily grinned broadly. "Same rules?"

Maggie nodded. "No Slytherins and no one below fifth year. Wow, our target area has decreased dramatically. But, no matter. Jess, you first!"

Lily scanned her eyes at the other students passing their Saturday in the sun. "Fine by me," she grinned and then she spotted her target. "Seventh-year Ravenclaw, by the tree there?" she asked and nodded in the direction.

Maggie spotted the student and grinned. "Come on Lils, that's easy. _Righty_!" she answered while giving the boy an interested look before searching for a target. "The sandy haired, sixth-year Hufflepuff?" she asked finally.

Both Jess and Lily sought the boy and Jess scratched her chin, her eyes twinkling thoughtfully. "Hmmm…Lefty"

Before Jess could pick the next victim, Delia looked up from her essay and said, "I don't know how you guys do it. I tried guessing at Jebediah Smith in Charms yesterday but I couldn't tell." She sighed disappointedly.

Maggie laughed. "Delia dear, if that's the case, then I don't think you should bother getting to _know_ him better. You'd only be disappointed."

Lily and Jess joined Maggie's laughter while Delia looked confused. "What? Why would I be?" she asked naively. At her comment, Jess and Maggie began to roll around the floor in stitches. Lily wiggled her little finger suggestively and Delia blushed profusely.

"Oh Delia, you're a scream", Maggie gasped while trying to catch her breath. She began to wipe off droplets of tears from her eyes.

"I'm not really interested in him", Delia snapped defensively.

Jess caught the insinuation in her voice. "Oooo! So who are you interested in, Del?" she teased.

Delia realized her slip and grimaced. "No one in particular", she replied in a nonchalant tone. But the red blotches across her cheeks were growing deeper and gave her away.

"Liar", Maggie smirked.

When Delia turned back to her essay and showed no intention of enlightening them, Jess returned her attention to the game. Suddenly, her face lit up. "Ok! That seventh year Gryffindor, standing over there. The black haired one." Both Lily and Maggie followed her gaze.

Lily instantly looked horrified. "Hey! That's my brother!" she screamed when she discovered that Jess was pointing at Albus.

Maggie laughed. "That's too easy!" she wheezed. "We know that both of Lily's brothers are lefties!" At her comment, both Maggie and Jess collapsed in laughter.

Lily turned her horrified gaze on the girls. "Why, in the name of Merlin's saggy underpants, have you been staring at my brother's crotch?" she asked, appalled.

"He's cute", Jess shrugged and dodged a toadstool that Lily aimed her way.

"Oh please. Eww, I feel rather sick now", Lily claimed. She then looked over to Delia for support but saw that she was no longer there. Without them noticing, Delia had made her way halfway across the lawn. Her wavy blonde hair was blowing in the wind as she ran. "Hey, Delia! Where are you going?" Lily shouted after her.

Delia heard her and looked back over her shoulder but didn't stop. "One second!" she waved dismissively at her.

Jess sat up tall and sheltered her eyes from the sun with her hand. "Hey, is that Hugo?" she asked. Jess saw Delia stop suddenly to talk to a boy with visibly bushy brown hair. Lily strained her eyes to confirm the sighting.

"What the hell does she think she's doing?" she gaped in shock.

Maggie chuckled, "I have no idea, but look at Hugo. His ears have gone all red." Maggie was right. Even with the distance, one could see Hugo's ears turning red as Delia leaned in to whisper something.

"It can't be. She can't possibly fancy Hugo, can she?" Lily asked, with a worried glance towards her friends. Both were currently watching Delia and said nothing to Lily in return.

"How is dear James?" Maggie asked after a minute. Lily was now lying on the grass with exasperated expression.

She sighed. "He's ok. He just joined Louis at Westgate Winged Horses." Suddenly, she asked, "Why on earth are you guys so obsessed with my brothers all of a sudden?"

"They're total hotties", Maggie shrugged as if that explained everything.

"Are not!" Lily retorted, screwing up her face in revulsion.

Jess rolled her eyes. "Of course, you _have_ to say that!"

Lily arched her body backwards so she could see Jess upside-down and childishly stuck her tongue out. Maggie, meanwhile, inspected her hair for split ends.

"Aren't you being a little hypocritical, Lils? You like my brother after all!" she said.

Jess perked up at this bit of news. Her initial expression of shock quickly turned to understanding. "Oh, is that why we haven't been as tough on them this year? I assumed it was because of your parent's threats." she finished, edging closer to Maggie while Lily scowled. Lily had asked her friends previously to hold off on taunting the Slytherins this year without explaining. Only Maggie had known the reason why.

Maggie nodded and said, "Yes. She's going to try to charm him with her womanly wiles."

"Traitor and so untrue", Lily hissed at Maggie who was smirking.

She turned back to Jess and said, "I don't care what you do to the rest of them. Just lay off Zabini while I suss him out and show him how charming I can be."

Jess shook her head and sighed, "I don't know, Lils." Jess had no idea what Lily saw in that boy that would want to make her pursue him. But she wasn't exactly going to express this opinion with his sister sitting there. Instead, she said smiling innocently, "Charms aren't really your strong point." At her comment, they were all instantly reminded of that one incident where literally one of Lily's charms had backfired.

"Do you remember when she tried to charm her hair blonde?" Jess asked Maggie.

Lily groaned at the memory. "Oh, come on guys" she objected. The girls had agreed long ago _not _tobring that memory back up again.

"Oh yeah," Maggie grinned, ignoring Lily. "It turned grey instead, didn't it? Why did she do that again?" she asked innocently. Both her friends knew exactly why Lily had done that charm and they certainly knew the answer why.

Lily jumped up between them, trying to draw their attention away from the conversation "Stop ignoring me!" Lily screamed when her attempt had failed.

"Malfoy said something about her hair setting her robes on fire" Jess grinned.

Maggie smacked her hand against her mouth feigning recollection. "Oh yeah!" she chimed. "Wasn't that when she then retaliated by setting his hair on fire?" They both grinned evilly at the memory while Lily huffed and flung herself on the floor again. Her hands clamped over her ears.

That slimy git had deserved what he got. Because of her actions, that was the first time that both of their parents had been called into school. Lily recalled not liking the older Malfoy anymore than when she saw him the first time. She shuddered at the memory. The detention she gained from that incident had been the most painful and she refused to dwell on that memory again.

"Ergh, this is so unfair. Delia! Hurry up and get your cute butt back here! Please save me from these clowns!" Lily yelled at Delia who was dawdling. Jess and Maggie laughed heartily with flecks of tears forming in their eyes again.

"One sec!" Delia called and then hurried to join them.

"So what's your game plan for Zabini, Lils?" Jess asked while calming down slightly.

Lily turned to look at her. "Oh, so you're talking to me now? You finally remembered that I'm here?" she asked, unable to disguise her annoyance. Suddenly Jess and Maggie hugged her from both sides, seeking her forgiveness. After a few moments, Lily returned their hug. She was glad that they finally stopped ignoring her.

"What's this about you and Zabini?" Delia gasped while catching her breath. She had only heard snippets of the conversation.

"What's this about you and Hugo?" Lily retaliated.

Delia wafted the remark away with a dismissive flick of her hand. "Oh, nothing. Just wanted to wish him luck on his Quidditch practice tomorrow."

Neither of the girls believed her. "Then why does he look like that?" Jess inquired, nodding towards Hugo.

"Like what?" Delia asked, faking an unknowing tone.

"Like a stunned beetroot, that's what." Maggie defined. Delia blushed when she turned and saw Hugo watching them.

"Eww Eww Ewwww! I feel sick!" Lily complained, feigning retching noises.

"Do you smell it too, Potter?" came a sour tone and Lily turned to its origin. Scorpius Malfoy appeared and he was accompanied with his usual flank of Slytherins. One of his hands pinched his nose while the other wafted the air. "I personally thought you had lost your sense of smell. How can you stand being around that all day?" he sneered, looking directly at Jess.

Without hesitation, the girls blasted Malfoy with a combination of spells. The mixture caused a decidedly satisfactory effect. All of a sudden, he lay stunned on the floor with tiny hairy tentacles protruding sporadically over his entire body. This then led the girls to aim their wands at the other Slytherins, daring them to retaliate. They didn't. Instead, they took a few steps back away from the girls.

Without hesitation, they picked up their belongings and, one by one, stepped over Scorpius and made their way towards the castle. As Lily was about to walk out, she shrugged at Duanne who stared at her blankly. During their public interactions, he never acknowledged her. Not even in front of Goyle and Warrington. At his stare, she gave him one in return that said _coward _and proceeded to step over Malfoy. As she did so, the lily she had put behind her ear fell and landed on him. She watched it fall and smiled looking at Malfoy's unmoving frame. She quite liked the look of him lying at her feet. She then proceeded to follow her friends.

Just when the girls thought that they were in the clear, they heard a voice calling out to them; One that they were hoping to escape. So much for them going through a week without incident.

" Miss Potter, Miss Fox, Miss Zabini, Miss Longbottom!" screamed the shrill voice of Professor Croston behind them. "Come here!" Lily groaned inwardly and looked at her friends. They too had a look of dismay on their faces. Just as they were getting close to the professor, the girls were surprised when the Professor continued yelling, "Mr. Goyle, Mr. Warrington, and Mr. Zabini, come here as well!" The three boys looked at the Headmaster in shock at getting called after and then grudgingly made their way over as well.

"Mr. Zabini", Professor Croston began, "Be so kind as to get Mr. Malfoy to Madame Bones in the hospital wing. That way, she can get him sorted out." He then turned his glare at each of them and continued. "When Mr. Malfoy is sorted to rights, please make sure you both come by my office along with the rest of the group after supper. We have detention to discuss". All seven students gawked at Professor Croston, but at that moment, he had turned on his heel and was returning to the castle.

**Thank you for reading**

**Edited 18/02/2011 with the help of Erika aka CullensGirl13**


	7. C7: Before the verdict

_Thank you for reading and reviewing_

**Chapter 7: Before the Verdict**

When supper time arrived, Lily sat in the great hall amongst her Gryffindors and one unwelcome Hufflepuff. She repeatedly jabbed and stabbed at her macaroni cheese with her fork and glared at her goblet. She was looking at anything in order to keep her eyes from reverting back to Eoin and Lucy Cattermole. The Hufflepuff student, in whom she dubbed to herself as 'Chipmunk', was currently sitting so close to Eoin that she may as well have been on his lap. They both had a ridiculously soppy expression as they gazed at each other. The sight was enough to make Lily feel sick which was why she glared at her drink. She proceeded to shovel a forkful of macaroni into her mouth and swallowed without chewing.

Her fellow Gryffindors shot her several concerned glances. When Lily was in a sour mood, it was not something they could easily ignore. The same could be said when she was cheerful and happy. Her infectious smile and laughter had a way of uplifting everyone's spirits. Unfortunately, her current bad mood had the opposite effect and was making people nervous.

Luckily, her family pegged her current dourness due to her recently acquired detention. Everyone had found out that Lily and her friends had gotten in trouble again. This didn't shock anyone anymore. However, what did shock everyone was that their detention was actually going to be tough. The rumour was that the headmaster was on the warpath and they were certain that the girls wouldn't be let off easily.

Maggie, however, was not deceived. She glanced over at the couple who were the source of her friend's glare and then back to Lily with a knowing smile. "If you keep glaring at your pumpkin juice, Lily, it's going to catch…fire" Maggie told her just as the goblet became enflamed. Maggie's full lips formed a small 'o' in shock. Even though she had seen Lily do this before, it still shocked her.

"Oh, crap", groaned Lily as she unintentionally performed magic. She reached for her wand and muttered, "_Aguamenti._" A jet of water streamed out of the tip of her wand and extinguished the fire.

"Lily my dear, you are really going to have to sort yourself out. You can't keep doing this." Maggie scorned in a matter-of-fact tone.

This earned her a glare from Lily's liquid gold eyes that was a warning sign to _back off_. Lily's eyes were rather unusual. Like her brother James, they changed colour depending on her mood or lighting. However, they were more changeable than James' whose alternated between dark brown and gold. Her own eyes were ordinarily a light hazel. Usually when Lily was happy or in a good mood, they would shimmer with a blue or green sheen. When she was angry and her temper flared close to exploding, they shimmered gold. Just like at that moment.

"I'm dealing with it, ok?" She snapped, indicating the topic was not up for further discussion.

Maggie placed a soothing hand on Lily's and waited for her eyes to turn back to a mixture of sky and grass. When she deemed it safe, she then gave Lily a bold smile. "Well, hurry up", she said. "It's a bit unnerving when things spontaneously combust around you." Her tone was light-hearted enough that Lily's temper wasn't prickled too much.

"It has only happened a couple of times Maggie." Lily replied offhandedly, thinking of a time in the girls' dormitory a few mornings ago. Unintentionally, she'd seen the aforementioned couple walking hand-in-hand across the lawn when she peered out her dormitory window. And then before she knew it, her socks went into flames. "I'll get it under control soon. Don't you worry." Lily willed what she vowed to be true. It was a bit disconcerting when she produced magic without her wand. Though she'd not heard of cases of objects setting alight with the use of ones mind: Her dad had told her that unintentional magic was a normal occurrence when emotions ran high: He'd told her of the time he blew up his aunt Marge. She had laughed when she imagined her father's aunt taking flight like a hot air balloon. Nevertheless, it was not a good idea for her to lose control. Who knew what else could happen.

Maggie patted her on the shoulder and shook her head. "You better or else I'll end up sending you to St Mungo's." she teased.

"Oh, ha ha", Lily retorted somewhat sarcastically. But her mood seemed to brighten after that comment. By the time she finished her macaroni, Lily was completely out of danger of becoming a young arsonist; at least for that night.

When dinner was well underway, the sandy-haired Brian, son of Seamus Finnegan and Lavender Brown, got up from his place a few seats down and came to sit opposite of Lily. Both girls looked at him, surprise by his intrusion. He smiled at them sheepishly and then turned his eyes to Lily.

"Hey Lily", he said.

"Hey Brian. What can I do for you today?" Lily flashed him one of her genuine dazzling smiles that left the poor boy temporarily stunned. Lily could have sworn she heard her best friend mutter 'minx' at her but she ignored the comment.

He flushed at her and then proceeded with his purpose. "I was just wondering if you…err…fancy meeting up tomorrow…err…maybe we could work on our…err…Astronomy homework…uhh, together", he stumbled.

Lily's initial genuine smiled faltered as she realized his intentions. At first, she thought his awkwardness was rather endearing. But then, he had the nerve to wink at her afterwards.

"Oh, I've already done it. Jess and I worked on it this morning…Sorry." But deep down she wasn't at all sorry if she was honest. She liked Brian. She really did. But not in the way he was now insinuating. If anything, Lily thought of him as another brother or cousin instead of someone she could be romantically involved with. She wouldn't tell him to his face though. One thing she'd learnt from growing up with her brothers was to never tell a boy who was of no relation, that she thought of him as a brother: not unless he insinuated similar feelings first.

He looked disappointed with her reply but recovered quickly and continued. "That's cool. Maybe we could just hang out then," he suggested hopefully. "We didn't get to see each other at all this summer so maybe we could do some catching up, you know? And you could…err…share what's on your mind" he shrugged, trying to keep it cool.

Lily sighed. _This needs some delicate handling, _she thought to herself as she attempted to put him off again. "Believe me, my thoughts are not that interesting."

Again, he didn't take the hint and he leaned across the table. "Oh, I doubt anything about you is uninteresting" he replied in the most suggestive tone as he winked. It was all Lily could do to not cringe at that response.

"Watch out, Lily. I believe Mr. Finnegan here is trying to get into your pants." Maggie retorted warningly, butting into the conversation. Brian's blush deepened blotchily and Lily felt sorry for him. She could always trust her best friend to speak bluntly, even when it wasn't appropriate.

"Thanks Maggie", she replied dryly to her not-so-delicate best friend. This was not how she wanted to handle him.

Lily was about to apologize to Brian when another unwelcome guest intruded their conversation. "Hey Finnegan, what the hell do you think you are doing?" Albus called from further down the dining table. Al may not have been able to hear the conversation but he could definitely see Brian's intent. Poor Brian still hadn't recovered from Maggie's remark and now he had Albus butting in.

"Cut it out Al," Lily hissed but Albus ignored her. Instead, he sent an intimidating frown in Brian's direction. Brian paled at this and clumsily stood up and ran to sit with Hugo and Chester, his tail between his legs. If Brian had hoped for his friends to be sympathetic, he was sadly mistaken. Chester had burst out laughing at his failure and Hugo slapped him on upside of his head for his efforts while smirking.

At first, Lily tried to ignore the commotion in an attempt to help Brian save face. But as she thought about it, she concluded it was his fault for confronting her in the great hall. If he didn't want to be overheard while speaking with Lily, then he should have talked to her privately. And so, Lily turned her back to him with the intention of scolding Maggie. As she was about to begin, she was distracted by movement to the right of her. Albus had slipped into the spare seat beside her, acting as a barrier between Lily and Brian though Brian now sat several seats away. Albus sent another stony glare at Brian while he gnawed on a chicken leg he had in his hand.

Lily turned to her brother with a stern expression on her face. "Eww, that's disgusting", she shot out at the sight of him. He was now picking the last pieces of meat from the bone.

The comment had the desired effect of directing his attention from Brian to her. "Come on, Lils. We all have to eat" he grinned toothily and shrugged.

She raised her eyebrows sceptically as she watched Al discard the bone and wipe the grease off his hands. "Not like that we don't. Some of us have table manners"

He chuckled at her and then draped an arm around her shoulders. She tried to shrug him off her but was unsuccessful. "Who says you have some?" he grinned cheekily. "Honestly Lils, if you liked your pumpkin juice hot, you could have asked the house elves to warm it for you."

Lily rolled her eyes. She did not want to go down that route of conversation, especially with Al. So she quickly changed the subject. "Never mind, that. Why do you keep butting in like this whenever a boy tries to talk to me? I'm quite capable of looking after myself, you know. I can keep them at bay if I wished" she said arrogantly.

"Aww Lils," Albus complained at her tone. "Don't go all haughty on me. You know that none of these buckos" he waved his hand around, indicating all the males in the room "are good enough for you. I'm just letting them know that their attempts are futile." Lily sighed but he continued despite her protests. "For example, I overheard Quinton Jones was planning to jump you the other day so I locked him in a broom closet."

Lily gasped at this. She pictured Quinton in her mind for a moment. That poor sixth-year Ravenclaw was extremely weedy and had buck teeth with shoulder length, greasy brown hair. She shuddered impulsively. Maybe her brother's interference wasn't _that_ bad after all.

"Eww, gross. Thanks for that. Though I thought a prefect would know better than to do something like that" she reprimanded playfully. Regardless, she was now making a mental note to be cautious around that particular Ravenclaw.

"But it was very big brother of me, don't you think?" he grinned nodding at her. "Besides, Teddy and James aren't the only ones after my hide if I let any of these clowns attack you." With that comment, Lily couldn't disagree. Her male cousins, uncles and even her father would give Al a hard time if anything happened to her. But Lily didn't think that was fair. She wanted to be given the choice to make her own mistakes instead of being sheltered by her whole family.

"I guess. But…" she added mischievously and made a circle on the table surface with her fingernail. "Let's just say, hypothetically, that I _did_ find someone interesting. Would you try to chase that person off?"

"Damn right I would," he proclaimed and his eyes narrowed at the mischievous glint in her eyes. "Who is it?" he demanded sharply with a stern look. "We'll need to have words."

Lily grinned broadly. "Why, it's Maggie of course!" she teased.

Maggie, who had been listening quietly to the conversation, suddenly wore a fake expression of shock. She held her right hand over her heart and her eyes glistened in false emotion while fluttering her eyelashes. "Aww Lily-bean. I never knew. I feel the same way, too" she gushed.

Albus couldn't decide whether to be amused or worried about this diversion and it was evident on his face. At his reaction, Lily threw her head back laughing, catching the attention of other students who seemed to smile in response. Her brother was not amused by this however and his expression grew more severe with every passing second.

"Ha ha, Lils," he began sarcastically. "Now, who is it really?" he demanded.

"I was speaking hypothetically, remember?" she replied soothingly. Al still wasn't convinced.

"Promise?" he asked meaningfully. At his question, Lily caught Maggie's eyes and they both burst out laughing. This did nothing to convince the sceptical Albus. In fact, it was well into dessert and after many reassurances from both Lily and Maggie, he finally dropped the subject.

"So…I heard that you and a certain group of Slytherins we all love to hate got landed into another detention. Nice one!" Al jeered.

Lily was taken aback by this. "How'd you know?" she asked, unable to keep the astonishment from her face.

Albus laughed. "Are you kidding me? EVERYONE knows. And with Croston currently on a detention warpath, it was bound to happen. He only ever gets this upset when it's your lot. You're worse that Fred and Roxanne. Well, maybe you were a lot more worse last year", he chuckled. "And to think that uncle Ron was worried about Hugo being in and out of detention."

"He _is_ in and out of detention", Lily corrected defensively. Albus waved his hand at that tidbit as if unimportant.

"So did Malfoy really grow tentacles?" he asked them in a more interested tone. At his inquiry, both girls grinned of the memory of Malfoy lying on the floor and nodded.

He looked at them in awe. The girls knew he couldn't get away with pulling those pranks anymore without serious consequence.

"Damn, I wish I'd seen that" he sighed disappointedly.

Lily glanced towards the Slytherin table to see if Malfoy was there. He wasn't and neither was Zabini. Goyle and Warrington were or at least Lily thought it was them. She could only see the back of their heads.

"I think he's still at the hospital wing. If you're lucky, Madame Bones may not have managed to cure him yet" she suggested, still looking at the Slytherin table. Her brother's muscular arm squeezed her tightly for a moment and then he released her as he leapt off the bench.

"Great idea, Lils!" he said before making his way to the exit of the great hall jogging. Before walking out, he turned to her once more. "I'll catch up with you girls in the common room later. After your detention, that is. Good luck!" He then gave them the thumbs up and finally whisked himself out of the hall.

"And he wonders why Harrison was made Head Boy over him" Maggie laughed, shaking her head in a mixture of admiration and disbelief. "But I suppose James was worse. I still have no idea how he manage to be appointed Head Boy last year. He was definitely something else." After a few moments, she continued thoughtfully. "I don't suppose you could arrange for him to meet us in Hogsmeade, could you? I miss feeling his presence from within these walls."

Lily shrugged. "I could try. But stop looking like that when you talk about him." She noticed the look of longing on Maggie's face. "He's too old for you", she added.

Maggie flicked her silky black hair behind her shoulder. "Honey, three years is not too old. And what's it to you? Are you going to forbid it? Because you are doing the same, sweetie" she said smugly.

Lily sighed and leaned forward to rest her elbow on the table. Her mouth was half covered by her hand. "No, that would only make you want him all the more", she mumbled with a baleful look. She knew she couldn't win this argument with Maggie so she admitted defeat. Though that didn't mean she had to like it.

Maggie grinned and winked playfully. "Too right, babe!"

The girls finally finished their dessert and started to get ready to file out of the great hall with the rest of their classmates. Lily reluctantly climbed out of the bench as she considered her upcoming appointment with the headmaster. Maggie didn't look too pleased about it either.

"Let's just go to Jess and Delia so we can get this over with", she sighed. And the pair went to join the others who were waiting for them patiently by the exit of the great hall.

**Thank you for reading.**

**Edited 02/03/2011 with the help of Erika aka CullensGirl13 and Klaudia aka Emily Swain**


	8. C8: Ultimatums

_Thank you for reading and reviewing._

**Chapter 8: Ultimatums**

When the girls arrived at the Headmaster's office, they found that Headmaster Croston was still in a meeting with the Gryffindor and Slytherin heads of house, Professor Longbottom and Professor Montague. Not knowing where they should wait, they lingered by the office door, examining the portraits of past Headmasters.

The painting of a friendly looking man with half-moon spectacles and sparkling blue eyes (and with long grey hair and beard) spoke to them finally. "Good evening, ladies. Kindly wait here as the other students arrive. Headmaster Croston will be with you in a moment." Lily recognized him as being the portrait of Professor Dumbledore. He was the man both her parents had respected and had even named her brother Albus after him. Lily nodded, acknowledging his request.

Delia, meanwhile, bounced on the balls of her feet nervously, her blonde pigtails flapping into Jess's face. After a few moments, Jess got frustrated at Delia and retaliated. Delia then went to lean against a wall, her arms crossed at her chest.

"What do you think they're talking about?" Delia asked in a hushed tone to no one particular.

Maggie shrugged and shuffled towards the Headmaster's door. She tried to listen in to the meeting but had little success.

"I don't know, but it can't be good. My guess is that you and Jess will be ok, though. I don't see the Hufflepuff or Ravenclaw heads of house in there", she whispered.

Delia looked at her in disbelief. "Are you kidding me, Mags? That's my Pa! He's going to fry my arse for getting in trouble again", she retorted while trying to keep the volume of her voice low.

Jess chuckled and made an 'L' shape with her fingers while placing them over her forehead and directed them to Delia. "It sucks to be you!" she chimed smugly.

"Don't look so smug, Jess. I can kick your arse", Delia growled. Then, she playfully bounced on her heels again and jabbed and punched the air in front of her.

"Oh you just try, Delia" Jess grinned and mimicked Delia's boxing stance.

Lily watched them in amusement. She could always count on them to lighten the mood. This was one of the many reasons why she loved her friends and was still in awe at Jess' assertiveness.

At their first meeting, Jess had been a very shy but intelligent witch. Despite being a muggle born (not that this fact really mattered), she was one of the cleverest in their year. She still was. And because of this fact, many purebloods resented Jess and would bully her. Even Maggie did so at first. If anyone had a hard time working past their prejudices, Maggie was it. But it wasn't her fault completely. She had acquired such beliefs from her own family's upbringing. And so at first, Lily and Delia would stand up for Jess until she finally gained some confidence and began to defend herself. As for Delia, she had always been a typical Hufflepuff-crazy loyal. There was nothing she wouldn't do to protect her friends. This was a quality Lily loved and was proud to share with her. And lastly Maggie, she was often the odd one out in their group. Although she could be as mischievous and playful as the rest, she acted a lot more mature the majority of the time. And similarly to Lily, she had very little patience when she was in a bad mood. Currently, her patience seemed to be running out as she observed the feigned fight between Delia and Jess.

With an air of tediousness and annoyance, she finally snapped. "Cut it out you two! I'm trying to listen!" Maggie hissed to the girls. Jess and Delia both turned to her with sulking expressions while Maggie turned away from them. When they turned to Lily for intervention, she just shrugged at them.

All of a sudden, Lily got a great idea.

Lily turned and searched the portraits, hoping to find one in particular. The one former Headmaster's portrait in question seemed to spend most of his time in the dungeons rather that in the current office. Although he did have a tendency to linger by Professor Dumbledore, he never stayed for long. However, at that moment, he seemed to be present. Lily almost smiled in triumph when she found him.

The man had greasy black hair, a hooked nose and sallow skin. There was no mistake; that was Professor Snape alright. "Psst, Professor Snape?" Lily asked in a low voice, hoping to catch his attention. His beetle black eyes had been cold until his gaze fell on the redhead. All of a sudden, there was the faintest flicker of warmth in his eyes. He smiled at her, revealing a set of uneven yellowish teeth.

_"_Yes Potter?" he responded.

Lily beamed at the portrait and counted her lucky stars for her friendship with him. When she'd met him her first year, she had instantly liked him and he her. Though Lily knew that her father and grandfather had clashed with him many times, she also knew that he had been very friendly with her grandmother and he had extended that friendly demeanour to her. Lily had no doubt that the reason for such phenomenon was due to her name and strong resemblance of her, despite her eye colour. "Can you please help us find out what all the fuss is about?" she asked sweetly. He nodded to her briskly and slipped out of sight. Lily was confident that he had slipped into the portrait inside Professor Croston's office.

"I reckon they're trying to come up with a detention that's abhorrent enough for us all" Maggie sighed as she too had watched Professor Snape slink out of sight. She turned and peered down at Delia and Jess. She didn't mean to peer at them on purpose, however. Maggie was almost six feet tall and so she towered over Jess's five foot three frame and Delia's five foot two. She winked at them suddenly, showing that she was no longer annoyed.

"Fat chance of that affecting us if we are all together" Delia grinned, nudging Maggie. In response, Maggie draped a slender arm around Delia's shoulders.

Jess, however, frowned as a troubling thought occurred to her.

She looked at Lily and started, "Hey, you don't suppose…" but she didn't get to finish her thought. Professor Snape had come back into view. The four girls turned and looked at him expectantly but he only looked back at Lily.

"In trouble again, Miss Potter?" he sneered and Lily distinctly heard Jess mutter, "this can't be good."

"How uncanny like your father" he continued.

Lily smiled and responded as she always did. "Shut up, Snivellus!"

At this, he raised one charcoal brow and added, "I correct myself. How uncanny like your _grandfather._"

Lily grinned even wider and Snape smirked in response. Professor Snape never allowed anyone else talk to him this way and Lily knew it. As a portrait, he appeared to be a bit more forgiving but not as much. Only Lily seemed to be able to get her way with him and he hardly got angry at her when she made witty remarks at him.

As Lily was about to ask him for more details, four additional students entered the room. Unfortunately, this caused Professor Snape to busy himself in conversation with another headmaster's portrait and ignore her completely.

"Making enemies with portraits now?" Malfoy sneered. Evidently, he had misinterpreted the scene. Lily spun on her heel and faced Malfoy who was flanked by his usual cronies. He brushed a strand of platinum hair behind his ear with his hand. At his movement, Lily noticed with great satisfaction that he still had several faded circular scars on his ashen skin.

Mischievously, Lily walked up to him and stroked a scar on his cheek. "Don't be jealous, Malfoy. No one can replace you as my number one enemy", she beamed teasingly. His eyes narrowed and he batted her hand away from his face. "Get your filthy hands off me!" he spat.

Lily backed off, holding her hands up in apology but she was still grinning. "Ok ok, chill." She then nodded at the boy next to Malfoy and intentionally flashed him one of her dazzling smiles.

"Hey Zabini" she chirped.

Zabini faltered, momentarily stunned. And then, to everyone's surprise, he stuck his hand out for Lily. She shook it gladly, satisfied that her charms were working. At their interaction, Malfoy jabbed him sharply in the ribs. He gave Zabini a look that clearly asked _what the hell are you doing?_ Zabini shrugged at Malfoy apologetically. His eyes were still slightly glazed over. Lily couldn't help the smug look that crossed her face so she turned away to hide it from the boys.

"I see your brother isn't complaining about Lily's dirty hands", Delia whispered to Maggie. Maggie shot her a warning look that silenced her and then she tilted her head meaningfully towards the door. All eight students looked up to see Professor Croston and the two head of houses moving towards them.

Professor Longbottom and Professor Montague looked over at the students as they exited the office. Lily saw Delia cringe as she caught the disapproving look on her father's face. Once the heads of house had gone, Professor Croston ushered the students into his office.

"What am I going to do with you all?" Professor Croston asked as he gave an exasperated sigh.

"Give us a slap on the wrist and let us go?" Maggie asked hopefully, unable to stop herself. All eyes turned to her while Lily gave her a despairing look. Maggie looked as surprised by her outburst as everyone else. She mouthed, "I don't know" to Lily.

"Not quite, Miss Zabini", he scowled. "I can't simply ignore this little _vendetta_ any longer." As he said this, he looked mainly at Lily and Scorpius. He continued, "It's been going on long enough and you're all going to learn to work together in harmony, whether you want to or not."

"Professor?" Lily questioned but he ignored her. He was currently looking at Delia and Terence. Their eyes had been flicking between each other, back and forth.

"Miss Longbottom and Mr. Goyle", he called while he waved them forward. They complied hesitantly. "You will go to the hospital wing to Madame Bones. She is waiting for you", he informed them. "You will spend this evening and all other evenings for the next four weeks in detention there. You will sterilize every inch of that hospital wing without the use of magic. Do I make myself clear?"

They both looked equally displeased by their assignment but still nodded and muttered, "Yes Professor", in response. Professor Croston nodded at them.

Lily groaned inwardly at the turn of events. She wasn't happy to see that she will be separated from her friends for their detention. She then shot a pleading glance towards the portrait of Professor Snape for a hint of what was to come to her. Unfortunately, he only blinked and stared back at her. Even if Snape desired it, he couldn't say anything without attracting attention to himself. So he remained quiet and watched.

"Miss Zabini and Mr. Warrington," Professor Croston continued. At their names being called, Maggie and Thomas stepped forward. "You will join Professor Greengrass in the dungeons. Her storage room needs replenishing and you both will help in restocking it. You will also help the professor prepare the ingredients needed for each of her potions classes. The same schedule and rules apply to you."

"But sir", Maggie objected and Lily saw that she was examining at her newly manicured nails with concern.

Professor Croston noticed this too. "You will do this without complaint, Miss Zabini. If you were so worried about breaking you nails then you shouldn't have broken school rules in the first place."

At his reprimand, Lily saw Maggie struggle to keep her anger from reaching eyes as she looked back at the Headmaster. She seemed to have managed successfully though Lily knew how tough that must have been for her friend. "Yes, professor", Maggie agreed stiffly.

At her response, professor Croston turned his gaze back to the rest and continued. "Miss Fox and Mr. Zabini…"

"Sorry Lily", Jess muttered to her as she passed her and Lily cringed inwardly. She now knew that she would be spending her detention with Malfoy. At this knowledge, she refused to glance in Malfoy's direction and concentrated on what the Headmaster was saying.

"Miss Fox and Mr. Zabini, Hagrid is waiting for you at his hut. You will be spending you detentions in the forbidden forest carrying out a number of chores. Hagrid will tell you the exact details when you meet him. Same rules and schedule apply for you as well." When Jess and Duanne muttered their agreement, the professor stood from his desk and announced, "Now, since you six have been assigned your duties, please make your way to your respective placements and begin your detention."

The six students grudgingly made their way to the exit. As Delia, Jess and Maggie passed by, they each gave Lily a sympathetic glance. She nodded to them in response and watched them leave. She still couldn't believe what was happening to her.

Once the group left the office, the Headmaster turned his penetrative stare back to Lily and Scorpius. When Lily met the professor's gaze, she couldn't help but grimace and feel a couple of inches tall instead of her five foot six.

"Now you two, you two!" the professor began with a half yelled and Lily flinched at his tone. "Never before have I seen a pair of students with such little regard for themselves, their friends and Hogwarts. I had hoped that things would have changed after the incident at the lake last year but alas, they have not." At his comment, Lily felt herself shrink from a couple of inches to a pocket-sized version of herself.

The Headmaster took a deep breath and continued in a slightly calmer tone. "Now, I have spoken to your heads of house and they both agree with me. Hogwarts will no longer tolerate your behaviour towards each other. You are going learn to curb this hostility you both have or you will both be on the next train home. Do I make myself clear?" he asked them sharply.

Lily made a sideways glance at Malfoy and found him doing the same. Their eyes met and for a split second Lily saw scepticism flicker in his silver-grey eyes. She knew that the same scepticism mirrored in her own. _Is this really it?_ Lily thought to herself. Could they really try and get along? Or at least avoid each other after detention in order to avoid conflict? Would they be able to succeed? Or would they both fail and be expelled?

Reluctantly, they nodded to each other and looked back towards the Headmaster. "Yes professor", they responded in unison.

Professor Croston pursed his lips as he observed their interaction and continued. "Ok, so your detention goes as follows. Madame Swats is waiting for you in the library. You will be manually sifting through every book and making sure they are all accounted for, in their correct place and in tip top condition. If they are not, then you will do as follows: you will erase any graffiti in them, repair them if needed and replicate any torn out pages. For this task, I will allow you both to use magic. But remember, it is for restoration purposes only."

"But Professor! That will take months, maybe even years!" Malfoy gasped in a tone full of horror. Lily nodded in agreement with him. And here she thought that she would never agree with Malfoy on anything! Furthermore, the idea of spending many months of detention alone with him was beyond horrifying.

"Then you will be in detention until you graduate, Mr. Malfoy", Professor Croston replied sharply. "Your detentions will take place every weekday in the evening."

"But what about quidditch? I have practice in the evenings", Lily complained and saw Malfoy nod in agreement.

Professor Croston did not look sympathetic in the least at her complaint. "Then schedule your practice on weekends or before classes. Now, off you go."

At their dismissal, Lily headed to the library in a daze. Malfoy was probably walking alongside but she wasn't paying attention to her surroundings. She was completely consumed by her thoughts. She just couldn't believe it! This could NOT be happening to her! No one could be so cruel as to subject her to this!

_This was all Malfoy's fault, _Lily thoughts concluded with a groan as she ignored her own responsibility for the matter_. Stupid slimy git…_

**Thank you for reading**

**Edited 02/03/2011 with the help of Erika aka CullensGirl13**


	9. C9: Detention

_Thank you for reading and reviewing._

**Chapter 9: Detention **

In the library, Lily perched herself on a rickety old ladder they'd managed to find in an old store cupboard. Since they weren't allowed to summon the books by magic, they had to search the books manually. She turned an ancient looking book over in her hands and then shut it carefully once she'd determined it to be in acceptable condition. Before she placed it back, she paused in thought as she saw Scorpius searching the book list on the ground floor.

So far, they had come across several books that had been defaced in some way or another. The charms placed on the books to prevent such behaviour had been no match for those roguish students determined to act recklessly with them. Lily couldn't understand why people acted that way with books. Despite her aunt Hermione drilling into her to her to respect books, she was quite considerate of them and was appalled at what she had seen in them.

So far, a set of those defaced books lay in a pile on a nearby table. _How can people be so careless?_ she thought to herself, aggravated. She continued to sift through the shelf and saw the pile of defaced books grow steadily. It seemed like an endless task as she checked through more and more books. _And we've only just begun_, she thought with a sigh.

Once they had acquired a reasonable pile, Scorpius began to restore them while Lily kept searching. Those books containing ink blots and small tears were easy to repair. However, those that had missing pages were a challenge. They knew they needed to have those pages replicated. But what were those pages? It baffled them both. They still hadn't worked out how they were going to fix those books yet.

In order to keep themselves organized, Scorpius decided to go through one of the book lists they were given and make a mark next to those books. He also wrote in their missing page numbers next to the book name. Afterwards, they returned them to their shelf until such time when they finally figured out how to duplicate the pages. As he worked, Lily looked down her nose at the sight of Scorpius from the stairs. He was standing at a nearby table, going through the scroll which was longer than his six foot two frame. Since he let the list run free, his overly large feet kept getting tangled up in it. It truly was a comical scene as well as incredible. That parchment itself was the complete list of all the books at Hogwarts relating to the subject Ancient Runes. Lily chuckled at him which earned her a disgruntled glare from the pasty Slytherin in response.

"Just roll the damn thing up, Malfoy. And then, just unravel it a bit at a time. Don't you have any common sense?" she jeered. She realized that for the first time, she was the one provoking him without incident. But she didn't care at the moment.

Scorpius, however, chose to ignore an answer to her jab and gave her another aggravated glare instead.

"Can you believe that man? He's nuts! A complete barmcake! How does he expect us to do this work without magic?" he complained, tossing the parchment to the ground. He then proceeded to stomp on it several times before he released an exasperated sigh and picked it up again while slowly roll it back up.

Lily grinned at his actions and at his seeming effort to follow her advice. Never in her short life had she worked with a boy that complained so much. And she had three brothers and several male cousins to prove it! Malfoy reminded her of a spoiled child throwing a tantrum because he hadn't gotten his way.

"Stop whining like a little girl, Malfoy. We can use _some_ magic." She couldn't help herself but make another dig at him. The temptation was too great.

He still made no response verbally but his body reacted otherwise. He paled at that insult if that was even possible. His skin was so void of colour to begin with.

"But not enough in order to help us with this issue," he replied stiffly, not looking up from the parchment.

Lily scowled disappointedly and wondered why she was so determined to get a rise out of him. Considering the ultimatum the Headmaster had given, she would have thought it sensible to abide by the warning. Maybe it was because of the history between them-a Potter and a Malfoy, never being able to get along. The idea of even trying grained against her very being.

Keeping hold of the ladder, she swung herself so that she could peer around it. Madame Swats was currently busy in conversation with the school caretaker, Mr. Grimes. By the looks of it, they were going to be busy for some time and were not paying attention to them. Lily spun back around and directed her sight to Scorpius. "Suck it up, Malfoy, and do it the muggle way!" she jibed again, knowing that he wouldn't like that. Lily watched as Malfoy stiffened. As predicted, he hadn't liked that comment.

"This is so demeaning" he muttered to himself. Lily couldn't help but grin when she heard him. Her eyes followed him as he stood up and moved to another table so that he could further examine the parchment and move away from her. At his action, Lily decided to return to the task at hand.

"Anyway, I forgot to mention that book I checked was ok. What's the next one on the list?" she asked. Malfoy read the next title to her. Lily's fingers searched for the book but saw that it was missing. Her brows furrowed as she glared accusingly at the vacant gap. It seemed that someone had decided to make this job even more difficult for her.

"It's not here. Has someone checked it out?" she asked in an unpleasant tone.

At this, Scorpius Malfoy finally snapped. Maybe it was due to her previous jibes or the tension of them being stuck together for a while. But it seemed that he had finally had enough of Lily.

"How should I know?" he spat, "We weren't given that information! I can't work under these conditions! It's impossible!" he yelled at her. At this, Lily's face gave a triumphant grin at his response.

"Then buh-bye, Malfoy. Bugger off home!" she goaded further.

His jaw tightened for a second but then he smirked arrogantly at her. "Ha, you're not going to get rid of me that easily" he sneered.

Lily met his arrogant gaze with one of her own at this. As they stared, the voice in her head warned her not to provoke him any further. But at that moment, she seemed to have taken leave of her good sense. She couldn't back down now. So she responded, "Then shut the hell up. Be a man and move on to the next book." In frustration, Scorpius reached inside his robe quickly and his right hand hovered and itched towards his wand.

"Na-ah-ah!" she chimed cockily while shaking a slender finger at him, "I wouldn't get that wand of yours out if I were you. Madame Swats may see-" she stopped abruptly at her warning as a new thought entered her mind. Then said, "I take it back, DO it! I _dare _you! Get yourself expelled", while smiling smugly.

In response, Scorpius glared at her with so much hate that should have melted her on the spot. Lily, however, disregarded it. "Chicken", she hissed as he returned to his work. Again, she couldn't help but feel disappointed with his reaction. She was hoping that her last remark would have done him in. She felt she was very close in eliciting a response she craved but alas had no luck. Somehow, he kept managing to find the strength within him to forgo his temper. Lily knew she was acting reckless in her continual persistence, but she couldn't stop herself. Even if her life depended on it, she had to continue.

As she admired his strength, Scorpius slammed his fists against the table hard. It suddenly became obvious that he wasn't as calm as he was letting her to believe. She should have known he wasn't that talented but at least he was trying. It was more than Lily could say for herself. At his action, clumps of dust dislodged from a bookcase nearby that seemed to shelf books untouched for years and began to fall. Slowly, the dust swirls began to land all over Malfoy.

Lily laughed as she saw him shake his head clean. "You look absolutely ridiculous", she scoffed. As she reached for the next book from the list, the ladder she stood on swayed unsteadily. Her fingers were just about brush against the spine of a book when a hand gripped her left ankle and tugged sharply. All of a sudden, she was hurtling towards the floor. She half-screamed in surprise and began to prepare herself mentally for the pain that was to come.

Just as she was about to make contact with the stone floor, a set of muscular arms caught her and slammed her against a bookcase. The force behind it had the bookcase wavering unsteadily for a few seconds and several books began to fall from the shelf. Lily was certain that at the sound of this, the librarian or anyone nearby would be running to the scene. But no one came. Lily half wondered where Madame Swats was. She couldn't believe that she wasn't there yet. The sound had been very loud.

Once the shock of falling wore off, she became aware that every part of her body was throbbing in agony. Her back was definitely going to be black and blue tomorrow and the back of her head felt even worse. At her assessments, she instantly retracted her admiration of his strength. He was a bloody brute instead.

"Ouch! Dammit! What was_ that_ for? You nearly fractured my skull!" she yelled while trying to get out of his grip. But he resisted her. Instead, he moved forward and wedged her between the bookcase and the hardness of his body. Sensing herself trapped, she tried to shimmy her way around him. As she wiggled, he began to pull at her hair. At the searing pain she realized that he had wrapped clumps of her hair around his wrists. She then attempted to force him to release her by digging her nails into his arms. In response, he tightened his grip on her hair reflexively. The pain he inflicted was beyond agonizing.

After a few moments of struggle, she let her arms fall to her sides in defeat. She wished she could have turned her head away from him but he made that impossible. So she closed her eyes. When she did, she felt his icy breath on her nape as he whispered, "Pity. Next time, I'll throw you harder." She gasped at this.

As she continued to hold her eyes closed, a finger nudged against her chin trying to force her to look up. Stubbornly, she finally met his gaze. His eyes burned with an unnerving amount on intimidation as her neck ached at the strain of looking up on him. Never before had his height advantage appeared so threatening.

Adrenaline coursed through her veins as she stared back at him. She didn't want to show him any sign of the weakness she felt. At their staring contest, she began to chew on her bottom lip deep in thought._ What did you expect? _She asked herself bitterly. _You provoked him after all_. _And what was the first thing you learned at Hogwarts? The school motto? 'Draco dormiens numquam titillandus'?_ _'Never tickle a sleeping dragon'? Well, here is a great example of that. He is a Slytherin after all- a snake. Dragon, snake- both are reptiles. So what the hell did you expect, Lily? _she reprimanded to herself.

She may as well have been poking that damn dragon with a big stick! There was no way that she was going to avoid getting burned now. Where the hell was Madame Swats when she needed her, anyway? _Probably held up in a broom cupboard rubbing her bloated hands all over Mr. Grimes greasy body…Yuck_, she thought. There was no way she going to keep following that train of thought. It would only lead to her being scarred for life.

Instead, her eyes kept focus on Malfoy's when suddenly she identified something in them that she hadn't seen previously: confusion. She pondered on what had caused that change but came up short. At her assessment, he released her and shoved her into the direction of the table. He then refused to look at her again as if a single glance would reveal a deep dark secret he had just managed to conceal.

"You deal with the list", he ordered and began climbing the ladder. Lily stayed quiet and didn't object. Her current tender limbs wouldn't have allowed her to re-climb that ladder anyway. Instead, she rubbed her head gingerly and lowered herself into the seat while pulling the list towards her.

Seconds after she sat down, Madame Swats and Mr. Grimes finally appeared whilst slowly taking in the scene. They'd obviously heard Lily being slammed into the bookcase and had come to investigate. _Finally._ _Took them long enough,_ Lily thought bitterly and then she noticed the disordered arrangement of their robes. _Eww! Guess my previous thoughts weren't far off_. She felt nauseated at their sight and proceeded to avoid their inquiring stares. She pretended to be engrossed in her work instead. After they'd gone, she stared at Malfoy's form on the stairs. She concluded that Malfoy must have heard them approaching and had released her in an attempt to save his own skin. _Clever git, _she thought angrily. _He could have at least warned me._

Somehow, they managed to work peacefully for an impressive ten minutes afterwards. Lily had been counting the time pass by and couldn't believe it. But then, too soon, their temporary peace ran out. Malfoy began to speak in an accusatory tone. "This is all_ your_ fault" he claimed.

Lily placed down her quill and brushed a lock of hair back from her face. "What is?" she asked in exasperation. She then risked a glance of him. He was standing on the ladder backwards as he studied her.

He waved a hand impatiently between the pair of them. "Us. Being threatened with expulsion", he responded in a tone that meant that it should have been obvious.

Lily cocked a brow in his direction. "All _my_ fault? How'd you work that one out?" she asked. She began to grip the edge of the table with a hand until her knuckles hurt.

He grinned triumphantly. "It just _is_", he told her matter-of-factly. "That temper of yours always lands us in detention. You need to learn to keep your cool."

At this, Lily crossed her arms and legs defensively and leaned back in her seat. "Ha! I could say the same. But lest we forget, _you_ provoke _me_."

"Do not!" he objected stubbornly. Lily gaped at him in disbelief. His tone suggested that he believed what he was saying.

"You insult my friends. How is that _not_ a provocation?" she asked while picking up the parchment from the table again. She needed to do something to keep her self-control.

He sneered at her then, a typical Malfoy sneer. "Well, may if you had better friends my comments wouldn't bother you so. Some witches and wizards are better than others. You should know that by now", he said.

"Oh and I suppose you mean your pureblooded, inbred, power-hungry prats _you_ call friends?" Lily snapped, glaring at him over the top of the parchment. "That way of thinking is very death-eaterish of you. Maybe I should mention it to my _Father_ or my Uncle Ron. They've locked up death-eaters in Azkaban in the past. I'm sure you'd make a lovely addition to their collection. I hear a lot of your dad's old friends are in there. I bet they'd love to make you their _bitch_."

With the speed of a Firebolt, he leapt off the ladder and launched towards her. At his sudden action, Lily skidded her chair back and attempted to climb free from it. But instead, her legs got tangled and she fell to the floor in a heap. She felt a flicker of panic go through her when she met the deadly spark of his eyes. As he advanced, she scuttled crablike away from him as fast as her aching limbs would allow. One of his hands began to reach towards her throat then.

_You great big idiot!_ Lily told herself darkly as he loomed in on her. _You've finally gone and found the button that pushes him over the edge. I hope you're proud of yourself. He's going to squeeze the life out of you and there's nothing you can do about it. And the kicker is, you know you deserve everything that happens to you next, _she thought sadly.

_"What's going on here?"_ came an alarmed shrill from behind them. Madame Swats had run back towards them as fast as her stubbly legs allowed at their commotion with Mr. Grimes wheezing behind her. At their arrival, Malfoy had frozen mid-step with his hand still reaching towards her throat. Lily felt another pang of panic at their predicament. This was all her fault. So, without a second thought, Lily knew what she had to do.

She quickly reached a hand towards Malfoy's outstretched one and turned to peer at Madame Swats' troubled face. "Nothing Miss," she told her with an air of innocence. "I just tripped, that's all. Mr. Malfoy here was offering me his hand." She smiled up at him with a grateful look while he continued to stand there frozen in place with a glare on his face. At his face, Lily nodded encouragingly at him. She was trying to get him to play along. Finally, the angry blaze in his eyes abruptly extinguished and he tightened his grip on her hand. He yanked her to her feet.

Lily proceeded to smooth down her clothes while trying to ignore the rush of blood to her head as a result from being yanked up too quickly. She grinned sweetly at Madame Swats. The librarian didn't look convinced by their performance at all but she and the caretaker waltzed away regardless, muttering incoherently.

Once they had gone again, Lily turned to Malfoy. He gave her the smallest of nods and turned away towards the ladder. While they settled back to their task, she continued their previous conversation. Keeping the venom from her voice, she hissed "I'd choose my friends over yours any day" thinking about Thomas Warrington and Terence Goyle.

"And that is why you'll never amount to anything. Other than the little girl of _Harry Potter_", he responded. Though he said this as a statement of fact with no actual cruelty in his tone, his words still struck a nerve. Her eyes burned as her temper flared. She became rigid and her hands balled into fists.

Scorpius then turned and watched her transformation with mild amusement. This only seemed to irritate her more. "Now now! That temper of yours is in danger of being inflamed again", he warned. "And I will not be as chivalrous as you. I, for one, will let Madame Swats catch you. That way, I wouldn't have to deal with you anymore."

Her body shook involuntary. "Maybe if you tried to curb that serpent tongue of yours, you wouldn't need to suffer the burn of my wrath" she retorted. As she said this, she tried to keep some humour in her tone so her anger wouldn't bubble over the edge. She tried to imagine what Delia would do in this situation.

"Always dramatic", he scoffed while removing a book from the top shelf.

She turned her nose up at him. "You know it."

With the book in his hands, he walked down the stairs towards her to add it to their pile. As he took the seat opposite her, he picked up the potion designed to remove inkblots and began to dab a book. He continued, "Speaking of serpent tongues, you've got a good one yourself. I can see now why the sorting hat wanted to put you in Slytherin."

At this comment, she glared at Scorpius. She'd never been so insulted in her entire life. That sorting hat had been wrong. She was far from being Slytherin material and everyone, especially her Gryffindor housemates, had long accepted that. As she glared menacingly at him, sparks shot out from the end of her wand that was on the table. The sparks ended up burning an edge from the book he was fixing. Malfoy raised an alabaster eyebrow at her while this happened. Luckily, the burn marks could be easily repaired.

He grinned then at her reaction. "You know, you really deserve to be knocked down a peg or two. Acting so high and mighty all the time-you're just a little girl of no importance."

This caught her undivided attention. "Oh? And you presume to be the one who does it? The same could be said for you. Are your parents really proud of having you as a _daughter_? I'd expected them to have wanted an heir that could carry on the family name. And I'd also half expected them to drown you at birth but alas, here you are. It's a pity really."

Since they sat on opposite sides of the table, they glared at each other while clutching their wands. Each dared one another to make the first move with their eyes but neither moved. At their actions, Madame Swats seemed to have caught on to their edgy atmosphere and coughed loudly. They both turned their heads to glance at her.

While they looked, Madame Swats proceeded to move herself closer so she could better observe them for the rest of the evening. Both of them grimaced at this and went back to work in silence again. After a few moments, Lily found the silence uncomfortable and finally broke down again. "Are you going to ignore me now?" she inquired quietly, aware that Madame Swats could listen.

He looked up and studied her for a moment. "I see no need in humouring you any longer. There's little point in engaging in further conversation", he replied in a whisper.

Lily snorted quietly. "Fine by me" she said. "I'll just run a mental list of what I need to prepare for at my next Quidditch practice."

"You're going down this year, Potter", he told her dryly as he returned his attention back to the book in his hand.

"We'll see", she responded nonchalantly and left the conversation end there. She didn't want to start an argument while Madame Swats was nearby.

Maybe Malfoy was right. There was no point in talking anymore. They had been so close to getting caught in several situations tonight; many that would have resulted in their being expelled. So they continued their detention without any further comment as they tackled the book stack.

Finally, the clock struck nine and their detention ended for the night. They each collected their items without another word and completely ignored each other as they made their way to the library's exit. _This is going to be a very long detention_, Lily thought as she walked towards the Gryffindor common room.

**Thank you for reading.**

**Edited 02/03/2011 with the help of Erika aka CullensGirl13**


	10. C10: Faith

_Thank you for reading and reviewing_

**Chapter 10: Faith**

Lily crawled through the portrait hole as her muscles screamed in protest. She winced and tentatively flexed her body. Every inch of her ached but she had no idea what the damage looked like. So she hoped to check it as soon as she got upstairs. As she walked a few of her fellow students nodded and waved. She greeted them in kind but did not stop to chat. She was determine to get her to her objective and made a beeline to the staircase leading towards the girl's dormitory.

As she had hoped, the room was empty. She quickly untied her robe and threw it onto her four poster bed. Under her robes, she wore a vibrant purple tulip skirt with an ornate gold belt and a black short-sleeved blouse. The clothes she wore were her own design and not what others traditionally wore under their school robes. However since everyone had to wear the floor length black robes over their clothes, Lily didn't see the point with sticking to tradition. She always wore what she wanted to wear, regardless of how appropriate or inappropriate it was. It's not like anyone could see what she was wearing.

In the centre of the room there was a full length mirror. Lily headed towards it and stared at her reflection. As she looked, she unclipped the belt and threw it on her bed. She then began to tug on the buttons of her blouse as her skirt swiftly followed by falling over the curves of her hips and pooled both items at her feet. She then flicked the garments back towards her bed with her toes. This left her wearing her undergarments that were the same colour hue as her hair.

She scanned her reflection quickly and saw that her front looked normal. She smiled and thought that her damage may not be as bad as she felt. She then turned to look at her back while brushing her hair away and was instantly horrified at what she found. Ugly purple blotches littered her backside and forearms, marring her pearly white skin.

She stroked one gingerly and winced instinctively. Wanting to assess the damage further, she scooped her hair over her shoulders so that it lay against her front and tickled the sensitive skin of her breasts and stomach. She turned her attention back to the mirror and twisted her neck so she could observe the image in the mirror in full detail.

She looked over her reflection and had the overwhelming urge to be sick. Her once opalescent skin of her back and thighs was now a patchy mixture of red, purple and blue. How the _hell_ had being thrown into a bookcase cause that much damage? No wonder her movements were limited. She frowned as she thought about climbing on a broom tomorrow. It was going to _kill_ her. Her little tolerance for pain had never been something she liked to brag about so she was going to have to do something and quickly. Going to see Madame Bones in the hospital wing was out of the question. The mediwitch would automatically suspect who had caused her those bruises.

At her inspection, Lily hated Scorpius Malfoy. Strike that, hate wasn't a powerful enough word. She LOATHED Scorpius Malfoy.

As she fumed, the dormitory door creaked open. Lily snapped her head towards the door in surprise as she cursed out loud, "_Crap, crap, crap, crap, CRAP!_" Walking through the open doorway were three fifth year students. Lily tried to shout at them to leave but she suddenly couldn't find her voice.

Coleen Creevy was in the middle of laughing at something her companion, the fetching Gryffindor team beater Chester Thomas, had been saying. They froze at the sight of Lily standing there in nothing but her underwear. As Coleen stared, Chester's mouth gaped as his eyes looked Lily up and down and settled on her breasts. Lily would have blushed under his heated gaze if she wasn't so horrified.

The third student that was behind them slammed into their backs. "Ouch! What the hell you two?" Maggie yelled at them. She stepped around them glowering and then her eyes met Lily's. Her expression showed no shock of seeing Lily parading around half naked but then her eyes shot to the reflection in the mirror. "What the hell happened to your back?" she asked appalled.

Maggie then stepped towards her and Lily watched Coleen thump Chester in the chest as hard as she could. He didn't even flinch as his gaze continued on Lily. Lily proceeded to cover her breast protectively with her arms in order to get him to stop his stare. He blinked stupidly then and looked at a seething Coleen as she dragged him back out of the doorway, slamming the door behind them.

Once they were gone, Lily turned back to Maggie's concerned gaze. "What the hell happened to you back?" Maggie repeated.

Lily swallowed loudly and finally found her voice. "I fell off the ladder in the library", she replied in a monotone voice. _Well, that's half true,_ she thought and then she wondered why on earth she was covering for Malfoy.

Maggie scowled at her and shook her head disbelievingly. "You fell off the ladder in the library?" she repeated.

Lily started to nod but the pain in her head made her dizzy. "Yes. I was right at the top and I slipped off. I landed badly on my back as you can see."

Maggie's scowl deepened as she considered the likeliness of that happening but she noticed the stubborn set of Lily's jaw. So she nodded her head after a few seconds. "Let's just pretend I believe you. Now what are you going to do about it? Do you have anything that'll help heal the bruises?"

Lily smiled suddenly as she remembered the box under her bed. She strode over to her bed wincing in pain without bothering to cover up her modesty. Maggie was the only other person in the room anyway. She carefully crouched and retrieved a small wooded chest she stored there. She opened it and found it full with a variety of small potion bottles and pastes. This first aid kit had been a gift from her eldest cousin Victorie whom recently passed her training and was now a healer at St Mungo's- a hospital for Witches and Wizards with magical maladies and injuries.

The potions bottles clanged softly as Lily sifted through them until her fingers found the potion she sought. It was a small circular bottle that was half-filled with a lavender scented clear liquid. Its function was to speed up the healing process. She took off the cork and swallowed double the dose from it. She then returned the bottle back to the box. Instantly, Lily felt soothed and checked for the results in the mirror. She noted appreciatively that the bruises had begun to fade into yellow blotches. She also noted that her head no longer hurt. So feeling considerably better, she took a step backwards.

Maggie sat on Lily's bed and watched the transformation with approval. She sent a hopeful glance at the box and held out her hands for Lily to see. "I don't suppose you have anything in there that can treat these?" For the first time, Lily noticed the painful looking boils and blisters that swelled all over Maggie's hands. Lily rummaged through the chest again and found an olive coloured paste used for the treatment of boils and handed it to Maggie.

She took it gratefully and started spreading it over her effected skin. Her hands seemed to fizz for a few seconds and then they were smooth, all remnants of the boils gone. "I hate professor Greengrass. She had me do all the nasty disgusting bits while Warrington got off easy", she complained while flexing her newly repaired fingers.

Lily sighed, "What did you expect? She's Malfoy's aunt after all. So of course she will be giving you the harder task." Maggie flinched then nodded thoughtfully. It was obvious that she hadn't thought of that. Lily slid the chest back under her bed and stood. "Common room?" she asked and Maggie raised her eyebrows looking Lily over.

Lily looked down puzzled and then her mouth popped into a small 'o' shape. She was still in her underwear. Now THAT really would have caused a scene. She blushed and slipped on a pair of skinny black jeans, some silver ballet flats and a comfy grey jumper that had a picture of a golden snitch knitted by her grandmother. Once she was ready, they headed downstairs.

The common room was busy with people entertaining themselves. There were several games of gobstones, wizard's chess and exploding snap going on all over. In one of the corners, several of the older students sat with their noses in a book while jotting down notes as they worked. Lily avoided the inappropriate gaze that Chester sent and the aggrieved one from Coleen Creevy.

A familiar pair of emerald eyes caught her attention as her brother Albus peered over the top of the sofa. He beckoned them to join him with a wave of his hand and they obeyed willingly. He lay across the sofa just in front of the fire, hogging it so no one could take the place he intended for Lily. When they reached him he bounced his way to the centre of the sofa. He stretched and rested each arm spread out over the back of the couch. The girls sat on either side of him. As they did so, Lily wished that Maggie hadn't sat as close to him. But she knew there was nothing for her to worry about. She knew her friend's affections currently lay elsewhere.

Albus turned his back on Maggie as he turned to look at Lily. Maggie pouted with obvious displeasure of his ignoring her. She was not used to being treated that way. But she soon got over it when she started talking to Amelia Wood who sat in a nearby armchair.

"How's my Lils? Survived detention ok?" he asked, showing off his perfect teeth as he beamed at her. His expression faltered when he studied her stony expression. "You ok, Lils?" he asked in a voice full of brotherly concern.

"No", she huffed. She kicked off her ballet flats and curled up on the couch while staring at the fireplace. "I hate him", she spat toxically and they all knew who she meant by _him_. "And now I'm stuck with him every evening during the week, which could well be until he graduates at the end of the year. And to top it off, I'm under threat of expulsion!" She finally turned to face him. As she looked at him, she noticed Maggie's state of shock. Maggie hadn't been present when the headmaster had given Lily his final verdict.

Albus whistled and ruffled his already untidy black hair. "Really?" he asked in a tone of surprise. However, his eyes said otherwise- like he had already predicted as such. Her brother was quite perceptive and tended to know things before they actually happened. But he was no way near as talented as her brother James. She used to tease James by saying that he should have studied Divination. In response, he would turn his noses up at the suggestion saying that his gift was being observant, not clairvoyant.

Lily was a little irritated that Albus hadn't thought of warning her. But then again, she could have misread his expression. "Yes, Malfoy too", she replied despite her annoyance. She turned to stare at the fire again, watching the flames flicker. Without turning to look at Al, she voiced a concern that had been ebbing away at her since she received the news. "Do you think mum and dad will kill me?" she asked in a small voice that was so unlike Lily.

Albus dragged her into a brotherly embrace. "I keep forgetting you're only fifteen. You act much older", he sighed and she peered up at him waiting for his answer. He then grinned at her and said, "Most definitely", he teased.

"Thanks for the comfort", she retorted sarcastically and slapped his chest with an open palm of her left hand. He squeezed her tightly and Lily rolled her eyes.

"I wouldn't worry about it, Lils. I doubt it'll get as far as you actually getting expelled", he told her more seriously.

Lily looked uncertain and pulled away from him. He hadn't seen her behaviour today. If things carried on like that, she wouldn't last till Christmas holiday. "I wouldn't wager on it. There's only so much I can take of Malfoy without hexing him."

"I've already got ten galleons on it with Hugo. That's how much I believe in you", Albus told her and Lily shook her head in disbelief. She then caught Maggie's surprised expression when she heard Al and smiled.

"Ten galleons? You've got way too much faith in me brother", She said. But hearing the challenge set off a spark in her gut. If there anything else she could do in order to help Albus win a bet against Hugo, she would do it. Heck, she'd even snog Malfoy's face off and pronounce him the love of her life! Even the impending expulsion didn't give her half the amount of drive as the playful rivalry between Al and their cousin Hugo. She loved them both dearly. However, when such things occurred she always sided with her brother first. No questions asked.

She cocked her neck and searched for Hugo then. When she spotted him, she saw that he was engaged in a heated conversation with his sister Rose but she couldn't make out their words. She frowned at the sight of him. Did he really believe that she would get expelled? Well, she would show him. Maggie and Al laughed when they saw the look of determination shine in Lily's face. Then Al said, "Nah, Hugo just has too little faith in you." He then added, "Anyway, I'll split the winnings with you."

Lily joined in their laughter this time and felt the gazes of the other students brush over her when they heard the trio laugh. "Yeah, well he better watch out. If I can't hex Malfoy, then I may have to duel with him instead."

Albus leaned back in the sofa. "That would be entertaining. You know more spells but he's a sneaky one, that one. And clever. I still don't think it will be an equal match between you too though", he sighed and his eyes glazed over. As Lily watched Al, she could tell he was playing out the scenario in his mind. "You'll destroy him for sure", he joked.

"Who'll destroy whom?" Hugo asked. He came up to them all of a sudden like the opposite end of a magnet. Rose followed behind him and perched on the armrest next to Lily. As she offered to move down the couch, Rose shook her head. Rose was quite comfy where she was. Albus then shifted closer to Lily in order to make room for Hugo. This resulted in Hugo sitting between Al and Maggie. At this arrangement, Lily noticed that Maggie was not happy about it. The couch was now too cramped. So Maggie got up instead and sat at another vacant chair.

"Our little Lily flower here has been forbidden to hex, jinx, curse, etc. the ever-so-slimy Malfoy and his goons under threat of impending doom", he informed Hugo dramatically. "Therefore, she will be going out after you in order to get out all of her pent up malevolence that Malfoy causes."

Hugo looked positively gleeful. "Really? Awesome! That will definitely be something I could write about back home. But I wouldn't say she'd destroy me." he said. _Hugo looks way too excited about this,_ Lily thought when she turned her gaze back to the other five. She highly doubted Hugo would feel this same enthusiasm later in the week when she finally did snap from being benevolent towards Malfoy. That git had a way of making her furious with the smallest provocation. She had no idea why he riled her so.

The night continued with the group chatting amongst themselves about random topics. At around half past ten, the majority of the students began to filter out to their dorm rooms. Lily sat curled up in an armchair stroking a purring Padfoot curled up in her lap. Her head began to lull sleepily against the back of the chair as she watched Albus and Amelia (a seventh-year Gryffindor chaser) throw a quaffle back and forth as practice. Albus had just been appointed the Gryffindor Keeper since James graduated last year and Hugo took over his old position. Hugo was now paired to play beater with Chester Thomas.

Maggie sat with Hugo on the couch now and was chatting animatedly as they both watched the game of catch. Lily then heard Maggie cheer when Albus made an impressive catch on a particularly tricky throw. He even had to launch himself over a nearby table. Amelia cheered as well and Albus blushed. After a few more throws, they announced a draw and said their goodnights. Lily though their retreat was wise as her own eyelids drooped.

She climbed out of the armchair with Padfoot under her arms. When the others saw her get up, the rest seemed to follow suit.

"Hey you know what, Lils?" Albus asked as he chased after her as she made her way to the portrait hall.

Lily stopped and released a fidgeting Padfoot and set him jump through the portrait hole. Her cat preferred to roam the castle looking for mice at night. She watched her short-haired black tomcat prowl out of sight and she yawned sleepily on the way back to her dormitory. "What Al?"

"No one can expel you for having a little healthy competition. Between you and Malfoy, I mean. When you're on the Quidditch pitch, all bets are off. Just make sure to keep it clean and you'll see that we will slaughter him and the rest of the Slytherin team like no other. At least, that's how I handle him."

"Great idea, Al" she answered and turned to leave. But then she stopped and turned back to her brother. "By the way, I have a few ideas for practice later this week. Could we discuss them over breakfast? I'd like to hear what you think about them before I present them to the team."

Albus nodded at her and tapped her back encouragingly. "Sure thing. Goodnight, Lils"

Lily grinned. "Goodnight. Oh, and before I forget to mention: Quidditch practice will have to be before breakfast from now on because of my detentions. So be there", she informed him. Albus groaned as well as Hugo. Both he and Maggie had just come up to them as they neared the end of their conversation. Lily knew her new schedule would not go well since both boys weren't early birds. But she was captain after all. So at their response, she grabbed hold of Maggie's arm and ran up to the girl's dormitory before they could protest further.

**Thank you for reading.**

**Edited 02/03/2011 with the help of Erika aka CullensGirl13**


	11. C11: Slytherin versus Gryffindor

_Thank you for reading and reviewing._

**Gryffindor team: **Keeper: Albus Potter (7th yr). Chasers: Keanna McLaggen (7th yr), Amelia Wood (7th yr), Michaela Jordan (4th yr). Beaters: Hugo Weasley (5th yr), Chester Thomas (5th yr). Seeker: Lily Potter (5th yr) * Captain.

**Slytherin team: **Keeper: Duanne Zabini (7th yr) * Captain. Chasers: Margarita Zabini (5th yr), Posie Montague (7th yr), Pandora Bletchley (6th yr). Beaters: Kallin Nott (5th yr), Thomas Warrington (7th yr). Seeker: Scorpius Malfoy (7th yr).

**Commentators: **Slytherin: Morticia Avery (7th yr). Gryffindor: Jamie Wood (5th yr).

**Chapter 11: Slytherin versus Gryffindor**

The first match of the season came around too quickly. Lily led the rest of the Gryffindor team towards the referee, professor Thorne, who stood waiting for both teams in the middle of the Quidditch field. Their boots sank into the muddy ground as they walked onward though it no longer rained. The weather that day looked more promising, perfect even. It was sunny, neither too hot or cold and it felt quite dry. Lily was grateful for that though she realized that their only problem would be the back glare reflecting from the puddles on the ground.

As they walked, Lily saw the Slytherin team approach from the other side of the field. Once there, professor Thorne gave them a quick overview of the rules and Lily and Duanne carried out the ceremonial captain's handshake. Afterwards, they all mounted their brooms and rose to the air. The whistle blew shortly as the snitch got released.

"And they're off!" yelled the amplified voice of the Gryffindor's commentator, Jamie Wood. Jamie was the son of Oliver Wood and Katie Bell. "Great move by McLaggen. She has Gryffindor leading the way!" he continued. Kaenna McLaggen, Gryffindor's Chaser, had caught the quaffle. She swerved around the Slytherin chaser, Posie Montague, and passed it to her team mate, Amelia Wood. Amelia was Jamie's elder sister. "Now McLaggen has passed Wood the quaffle. Now to Jordan, back to Wood…"

"And Wood has been hit in the head by a well aimed bludger by Nott", the Slytherin commentator, Morticia Avery, chirped. The Slytherin beater, Kallin Nott, had sent a bludger straight at Amelia and she was unable to dodge it. Though hit hard, she swayed slightly dazed and managed to stay on her broom. Unfortunately, she dropped the quaffle in the process and Posie swooped in for the ball as well as Michaela Jordan.

"And Jordan catches the ball!" Jamie Wood cheered as he saw Michaela reach the quaffle before the Slytherin chaser. "Tough luck, Montague! Ooh, she didn't like that!" he laughed as Montague gave him the finger. "It looks like Wood has fully recovered from that bludger hit and heads towards Jordan", he notified the crowd. The tone of relief was evident in his voice.

"That's because Gryffindor's have the benefit of having thick skulls with very little brains", Avery added rudely. At her comment, an angry uproar came from the Gryffindors as the Slytherins cheered.

"And Wood scores! Great going, Sis! You weren't saving that one, Zabini! Take that!" Jamie shouted over the deafening roar of the cheering Gryffindors. Lily cheered as well and high-fived Amelia when she flew passed her.

So far, Lily hadn't managed to catch sight of the snitch and her eyes then looked for Malfoy. She saw him circling the pitch with a grim expression on his face. From this, Lily concluded he wasn't having any luck either. She then soared higher hoping to gain a vantage point and continued to listen to the commentary.

After an hour of play, the scoreboard read 40-30 to Slytherin. Though they seemed to be equally matched in skill, Lily frowned at their current score. She hadn't expected the Slytherin team to be so strong since they were nowhere near this good last year. She definitely needed to find that snitch first. And fast.

"And there goes the quaffle to Zabini, back to Montague, then Bletchley!" Avery was yelling as the Slytherin chasers weaved across the pitch.

"And there goes a bludger! Can you believe it? Bletchley is off her broom!" Wood roared with laughter as a delighted cry erupted from the Gryffindor crowd. At this comment, Lily glanced downwards to see Pandora Bletchley. Bletchely was dangling in mid-air, clinging to her broom tightly. The bludger had hit her shoulder and it had sent her off balance.

"You're supposed to duck _away_ from the bludgers deary. And nice aim, Weasley!" Jamie complimented before he continued with the commentary. "Now the quaffle goes to Jordan, now McLaggen…"

"And Montague intercepts and throws to Zabini", Avery added smugly as the Slytherins regained possession of the quaffle. "Zabini aims for a goal…"

"And it stopped! Great save, Potter! There goes Wood again with the quaffle", Jamie continued.

"Whoa, Thomas was almost hit by a bludger sent by his own team mate. I wonder what happened there", Avery laughed.

Lily was hovering in mid air when she had caught sight of Chester's eyes. The intensity of his stare made her blush and she tried to unsuccessfully turn away. Ever since that night in the girls' dormitory, he had a way of staring at her that made her feel she was nude. Hugo must have seen this because suddenly a bludger was shot directly at them. It wasn't aimed at her though but rather at Chester. As it approached, Chester swerved away from it and Lily was finally free from his stare. She guided her broom away from him as Hugo flew towards them.

"What did I do?" Chester complained innocently.

"You know bloody well what", Hugo growled back. Since they were arguing, they didn't pay attention to the Slytherin team as they gained momentum towards the goal posts without trouble.

"And there goes Bletchley with the quaffle, now to Zabini, back to Bletchley, now to Montague, back to Zabini, and Zabini scores!" Avery yelled as cheers erupted from the Slytherins stand.

Lily cursed silently as she saw the rest of her team-mates glowering at them. "Keep your eyes on the game!" she yelled at both boys and they returned their attention back to the match at hand.

After another ten minutes, the whistle blew and Lily heard Jamie directing a stream of insults towards Thomas Warrington, one of the Slytherin beaters.

"Warrington! You are supposed to hit bludgers! _Not_ people!" she heard professor Thorne yell at him.

"I thought he _was_ a bludger, professor. His black hair confused me", Warrington explained innocently. At that last comment, Lily whipped her attention away from searching the snitch and towards Thomas Warrington. Panic surged through her as her eyes then looked for Albus. She just knew that Warrington's dirty tactics had been aimed at her brother.

Al was on the ground by the time she spotted him but he looked ok. He stood next to Madame Bones who was handing him a potion to drink. Lily saw that her brother's face was covered in blood and at this Lily couldn't help but see red in anger. No one messed with her family and got away with it! She wanted to pound Warrington's ugly face in for doing that to Al. Before anyone could stop her, she snatched away Chester's bat and zoomed towards a soaring bludger. She then proceeded to hit it directly at Warrington. Since he wasn't paying attention to her, he got hit and his broom went spinning out of control making him dizzy.

Lily threw the bat back to a bemused Chester and got ready to dive down to check on Al. But before she could, she saw that Al was rejoining the game. "It looks like Potter is going to be ok after all. He is heading back to the goal posts", she heard Wood inform the crowd. Relief washed over her as the whistle blew again and she began to fly around the pitch to search for the snitch.

"Like I said: thick skulls and small brains. Hey!" Avery yelled and jumped out of the way as a bludger collided against the wall, just above her head.

"Nice aim, Thomas!" Wood chortled in response.

At this, the whistle blew again. "Mr. Thomas! Kindly refrain from attacking the commentators in the future", professor Thorne advised Chester.

"Yes, professor", Thomas conceded without complaint.

Another hour passed and the score was now 80 - 70 with Gryffindor in the lead. The score was too close for Lily's comfort. In fact, it had been too close throughout the entire game. She needed to catch the snitch before Malfoy. As she thought this, she suddenly saw it. The snitch's gold wings glistened some fifty meters below her. Her heart pounded quickly as she pushed her broom into a dive and made herself as streamline as possible.

"Looks like Lily Potter's seen something. Look. Yes! There it is! It's the snitch!" Woods voice boomed as the crowd roared.

As she heard Wood, she saw she was getting close to catching it before it moved. She tried to move faster but suddenly and inexplicably she felt she was slowing down instead.

"You cheating dimwit!" Wood's voice bellowed followed by a disapproving yell from the headmaster. "Sorry Headmaster. But I guess we shouldn't expect any less from a Slytherin. And a Malfoy to boot! Slimy git!" he added.

_Malfoy?_ Lily questioned to herself as Wood received another public bollocking from the Headmaster. _What the hell does Malfoy have to do with anything?_ She thought. As she glanced over her shoulder, she discovered exactly what Malfoy was doing. One of his hands had grasped the tail of her broom and as a result was slowing her down.

"Get off my broom, Malfoy!" Lily shouted. As she yelled, an accurately aimed bludger by Hugo smashed into the handle of Malfoy's broom. He released his hold on her broom suddenly and was forced into a spin. He glared at Lily at his precedent. Once he released, her broom's speed increased exponentially and she continued her dive.

She could see the snitch clearly hovering several meters off the ground now. She closed in on it and skilfully straightened her nimbus 2030 out of the dive with one arm outstretched towards the little golden ball. It was now fluttering only inches away from her. Her fingertips brushed its wings. She almost had it in her hand.

Suddenly, something much heavier than a bludger collided next to her and she was sent toppling off her broom and to the ground. She hit the sodden grass with a thump, entangled with the very thing that collided with her. She was rolling quickly and her eyes squeezed tightly shut as she was assaulted by muddy droplets from the ground.

After a few seconds, the motion slowed and she landed on her back. Something that felt like a bear was on top of her, covering her body with its own and pinning her down. Her eyes remained closed. What the hell was on top of her? Bears or whatever it was did not just fall from out of the sky and on top of people.

She realized that couldn't breathe easily since the added pressure restricted her movements. Her head swam in pain as the lack of oxygen caused it to throb. This also caused her not to think clearly or be able to move. She was beginning to feel numb.

This thing that was on top of her was going to crush her to death if she didn't get it off her soon. Suddenly, she heard someone take shallow rasps of breath that certainly were not her own. The person's weight then shifted away from her chest and the pressure then distributed evenly on her body. With a loud gasp, air suddenly forced itself into her lungs.

Once her head began to clear, she became aware of several things at once: One, she wasn't dead like she thought she was going to be. Second, her arms were being pinned down on either side of her head while her hands were balled into fist. Her arms were being secured by a set of strong hands. Therefore, the thing on top of her was definitely a human. And that person's hips were welding themselves against her own as they straddled her on the upper part of her thighs. And as that person straddled on top of her, a foreign bulge pressed against one of her thighs. At this, her mind screamed, O_h my god I can feel his ! _Because she suddenly realized thatthe person on top of her was most certainly a male.

Her eyes snapped open at this thought and she saw a mud-splattered pale face hovering inches above hers. His silver eyes were staring into her with a simultaneous carnal, fierce, threatening and alert gaze. At this, her eyes widen in response. She stayed frozen in place, unable to respond as the fight or flight response in her finally kicked in. This continued for a bit as murky muddy droplets dripped from his platinum hair onto her cheeks. She blinked erratically as the droplets neared her eyes.

"Get off me, Malfoy!" she growled as she began to wiggle and move.

His expression grew cocky at this. "Or what, Potter? What are you going to do about it?" he sneered. There was nothing she could do she realized. At least not without someone intervening. As they continued on the ground, she heard Wood cussing at Malfoy and the crowd in an uproar. Malfoy whipped his head up suddenly as he seemed to just remember the spectators and the game. He brought his knees to level with her waist then and took most of his weight off her. He seemed to be lost in thought at that moment though his grip on her wrists didn't slack.

Lily had no choice but to wait for Malfoy to be completely distracted in order to move. And when the chance came, she had to be quick. If he suspected what she was doing, it wouldn't be difficult for him to stop her again. He had brute strength after all and was cunning - that trait seemed to be in possession of every Slytherin she knew so far.

After a while, Malfoy leaned back enough so Lily could see the game continue. As she sat up, she saw a Slytherin chaser move into a position that they weren't supposed to be. It appeared that Posie Montague was attacking the Slytherin beater Warrington. Lily smirked a little at this. She felt no sympathy for that beater since he had attacked Al. After the scuffle, she saw Posie escape with his bat and sent a bludger hurtling through the air. Lily gasped at this. The bludger was soaring straight to her head.

Adrenaline finally took over Lily as she began to react fast. "Move!" she ordered Malfoy and twisted her body sharply. Her actions seemed to surprise Scorpius and he allowed himself to be rolled onto his back. Her palms pressed hard against the centre of his chest as he still held her wrists. At their new position, Lily stared down at him as she was now straddling his hips. She tried to wriggle free again but his grip tightened and prevented her from getting up. Seconds later, the bludger pounded into the ground-just where Lily's head had been a second ago. At the impact, the pair of them got coated with muddy water and turf.

Malfoy turned his head in surprise and saw the bludger zoom back upwards. When he turned his gaze back to Lily, his demeanour was as cold as ever but he finally released his hold on her. "Well, Potter. If you wanted to be on top, all you had to do was ask", he smirked.

_Of all the nerve! _Before she could stop herself, she slammed her right fist into his jaw and heard a satisfactory crunch. Malfoy's eyes momentarily went blank.

At her action, something small dislodged and rolled down the inside of her sleeve. To Lily's great pleasure, she unintentionally freed the tiny golden snitch from the folds of fabric and held it in front of her. As she looked at the snitch, she heard Malfoy let out a small groan. His eyes focused on it but he made no effort to move as he rubbed his aching jaw with one hand. He appeared to be deep in thought again. _Maybe he thought the punch was well deserved_, Lily mused. She certainly thought so.

"Lily Potter has the snitch! Gryffindor wins!" Wood announced and the Gryffindor crowd erupted in cheers. The game ended with a score 230-70, win to Gryffindor.

As the crowd continued to cheer, Lily curled herself into a crouch on top of Malfoy that resulted in her having one of her feet get between his legs. Unfortunately, this position had her boot close to brushing against Malfoy's most sensitive part of his anatomy. She saw his eyes widen in alarm for a second at this and then growled, "Hey, watch it!" At his retort, she shot him a wicked grin though she meant nothing by it.

As if she could be so mean! She wouldn't do such a thing; not even to him. She'd seen the pain such reaction could cause a male first hand. When she was younger, she had accidentally kneed her uncle Charlie in the balls when they'd been play fighting at the time. The action had been so minimal but it still had her big and burly Uncle writhing in agony on the floor, with tears in his eyes. And her uncle spent his time tackling dragons for a living! So if her tough uncle couldn't handle such an action, she certainly wasn't going to inflict that pain on lesser folk. Like Malfoy.

After a few seconds, she sprang to her feet without any help and offered a hand to him. He leant forward into a seating position and took it without question. She jerked forward to pull him up and realized she had to use both her hands. It took all of her strength to haul him up to his feet.

Once he was up, there was no acknowledgement or thanks. Not one act of courtesy of any kind. Instead, Malfoy wiped his hands on his robes and turned his back on her. Lily glared after him. She couldn't believe how rude he was acting. She should have just left him there! At the very least, he could say thank you and not mean it. But no, the Slytherin git instead had insinuated that she'd dirtied his hand by touching him. What a prat!

As she fumed, the Gryffindor team started to land in a circle around Lily. Once they dismounted, they all rushed towards her, each wanting to congratulate her in their own way. Lily decided to push away her angry thoughts as she saw her team approached her. Amelia, Keanna and Michaela got to her first and hugged her tightly from all sides. As they hugged her, Hugo reached over them to ruffle Lily's hair affectionately. When they released her, Chester barged through and hauled her up onto his shoulder. Lily shrieked in surprise and swayed unsteadily. Balancing on a broom was one thing. But trying to balance on Chester's shoulder's was quite another. She yelled at him to put her down after a few seconds but he didn't seem hear her over the cheers of the crowd. Finally, when he received a stern look from Albus, he lowered Lily back to the ground.

Once down, Al reached for her and got her into a brotherly embrace. "I'm so proud of you! Great first game as captain, Lils", he said into her ear as her spun her around in a circle. After a few moments spinning, she was becoming dizzy and told Al to stop and was released. She beamed at her team then and motioned them into another group hug while they shrieked. They'd done it! They'd won the game! Eventually, Lily was freed from her team-mates as they began to head to the dressing rooms. She looked over to the Slytherin team and saw that they were in the middle of a somewhat heated debate. Posie Montague was glowering as Duanne Zabini lectured her. Lily walked over to them as he continued to yell. This earned her stony glares from the Slytherin team.

"Good game, Zabini!" Lily beamed, holding out her hand for him to shake. He eyed it suspiciously as if expecting her hand to be coated with some kind of poison. His reaction only made Lily's grin broaden and his suspicion heighten.

"Come to rub it in?" he scowled. His eyes were still on her outstretched hand which he still hadn't shaken.

Lily shook her head letting a small chuckle escape her lips. "No, not at all," she told him in a sincere tone. "You all played rather well. Well, most of the time and the majority of you." At her added comment, her eyes went to rest on Malfoy and Warrington. There was no mistaking that she meant that last bit towards the two of them as they used unfair tactics.

Zabini shrugged apologetically and finally shook her hand. At their handshake, Lily felt a tingling sensation go off in her stomach. That surprised her for a second and she puzzled over her body's reaction. She barely caught what Duanne was saying. "Yeah, I tried to talk to them about that", he muttered softly.

Lily took that as an apology and then looked at Malfoy. He'd been staring at her with a peculiar expression on his face. From the corner of her eye, she saw Posie glaring at him sourly. _What the hell was going on with them_? She questioned to herself. But then decided it wasn't worth her efforts to try and understand the minds of those snakes. So she turned back to Zabini grinning and said slyly, "You need a better seeker." At her comment, she watched Malfoy's reaction discreetly and saw that his lips twitched slightly. However as a whole, he was still impossible to read.

"Yeah, if only you were sorted into Slytherin" Zabini sighed admiringly as Lily fought down a scowl that threatened to appear. She chose to take that as a compliment despite the suggestion of her being in Slytherin.

At this, Malfoy finally reacted. Lily watched with a mixture of amusement and concern as Malfoy elbowed Zabini in the gut. "Hey! What the hell mate?" Malfoy complained.

Zabini grinned sheepishly and rubbed his abused torso. "Sorry, Scorpius" he smirked. With a huff, Malfoy stormed off shaking his head. Behind him, Posie followed while muttering a stream of insults directed at Malfoy.

When they walked away, Lily decided that it was probably time to join her team-mates. Her further interaction with Duanne would probably look weird if they were seen by her team.

"Right. Well, I better be off", Lily mumbled.

Zabini nodded in agreement. "Yeah. See you around, Potter."

"Lily", she blurted out without thinking.

Duanne's brows furrowed quizzically. "What?"

She took a deep breath before answering. "Lily. You can call me Lily", she told him in a soft voice.

Duanne smiled at this and Lily blushed in response. "Oh. Well…see you around, Lily", he responded. As she heard her name get called out from his lips, a giddy rush flowed through her body like a swarm of butterflies. She couldn't understand what was going on with her.

"Bye, Duanne", Lily managed to breathe out. After staring at each other for a few seconds, she finally managed to get her legs to move. She went to find her friends as quickly as possible before Duanne could see how he was affecting her. In that instant, she realized that it may be possible for her to develop genuine feelings for him after all. And then she wouldn't really be using him for her cause. Though she was aware that she had yet to develop them in an emotional level, her body certainly didn't seem to object him physically.

**Thanks for reading**

**Edited 17/04/2011 with the help of Erika aka CullensGirl13**


	12. C12: Common room conflicts

_Thank you for reading and reviewing_

**Chapter 12: Common room conflicts**

Lily entered the Gryffindor common room panting and breathless. She had run back towards the tower's empty room sans one other person. Since the majority of the Gryffindors were still celebrating in the grounds, Lily decided to head back early. She wanted to rummage through her potions chest under the bed in order to treat her injured hand. It had started to throb painfully as a result from punching Malfoy in the jaw. As she headed to her dorm, she spotted the exasperated figure of her cousin Rose at one of the tables. She seemed to be writing one of her epic essays. Lily briefly forgot her purpose and stared at her cousin who was hard at work. From what she saw, it seemed that Rose was not happy with her writing progress. With narrowed eyes, Rose began to cross out an entire paragraph. It took her another minute to realize she was no longer alone and her back stiffened. Sensing eyes on her, she turned and saw Lily staring at her.

As Lily got her cousins attention, she felt hurt and betrayed. From what Lily was seeing, it appeared that her cousin hadn't bothered to come down and watch the first match of the season - well, Lily's first match as Captain. Not to mention, her first win as Captain. After a moment's deliberation, Lily walked towards Rose.

"Did you even come to the match, Rose?" Lily asked, unable to keep the bitterness from her voice. At this, Rose's eyes shot daggers at Lily and her cousin's eyes widen in surprise by the viciousness in Rose's expression. She had no idea why Rose was reacting this way to her question. Before Lily could decide whether to leave or probe for more details, Rose opened her mouth to speak.

"Of _course_ I did!" she snapped. "You caught the snitch, Gryffindor won and…oh! Scorpius molested you in front of _everyone_ to which _you_ responded by punching his jaw." Lily gaped at her, opening and closing her mouth like a gold fish a few times as she tried to find her voice. Meanwhile, Rose's expression darkened further and added, "Honestly, I thought you'd be more careful with your behaviour."

As Rose spoke, Lily noticed that her cousin's eyes were red and puffy. She was either crying beforehand or was on the verge of doing so. Regardless, this did nothing to prevent her rising temper. Why was she acting hurt over what Lily did to Scorpius? Isn't that against a cousin honour code or something? To side with the enemy instead of your family? It seemed unfair and unreasonable.

"He was CHEATING!" Lily yelled and Rose's expression seemed to falter by the volume in Lily's voice. Feeling somewhat guilty at her reaction, Lily grinded her teeth for a few seconds and muttered in a lower voice, "How'd you expect me to react? And I _was_ being careful! Or else Professor Croston would have done something. Though it seems he thought my actions were justified. I mean, do you see me getting expelled now?"

At her last comment, Lily's voice threatened to choke her as her emotions overwhelmed her. Rose was not supposed to act this way towards her. She was usually the quiet, understanding and reliable one in the family. And after the summer they had spent together, Lily considered Rose to be her shoulder to cry on. Especially when she had gotten dumped by Eoin. So why was Rose turning on her? What had she done to deserve this? Taking a shaky breath, she continued.

"You have no idea what he said to me", Lily said in a small voice, her anger dissipating. Rose's expression softened as she listened to Lily. It looked as if she'd regretted her earlier judgment. "And don't call him by his first name in front of me - it's weird", Lily added stiffly.

Sighing loudly, Rose pulled up a chair for Lily to sit in. For a few seconds, she looked at the chair and then back at Rose._ Thank_ _Merlin the other's weren't here to witness this, _Lily thought. If Albus and Hugo had been there, all hell would have broken loose at Rose's snapping. After another few seconds of deliberation, Lily slipped herself into the chair and waited for Rose to explain herself. "It _is_ his name, Scorpius", Rose sighed again as she noticed Lily getting comfortable.

"So…what's got your knickers in a twist?" Lily asked in a lighter tone. Though she was trying to curb her emotions, part of her still wanted to scream. And cry. Unable to set her feelings straight without distraction, she stared intently at her cousin.

Rose's eyes lowered back to her work, trying to avoid the heat of Lily's eyes. "Honestly, I don't understand why you both fight all the time. He's not _that_ bad", she whispered.

Lily felt her eyebrows shoot up in amazement. "Not that _bad_?" Had she heard her correctly? "He's a foul-mouthed git that takes every opportunity to insult me and my friends! He's the bane of my existence!"

Rose rolled her eyes and Lily's eyes narrowed. "Yes and you give as good as you get. Honestly Lily, it's getting really tiresome", Rose responded as she slumped back into her chair with a bored expression on her face.

Lily gaped at her once more. "Well-I-What is this about?" Lily sputtered.

"Nothing. Just…forget it. Ok?" Rose sighed once more and returned her attention back to her work while leaving Lily dumbfounded. Rose's actions still made no sense to Lily and it started to irritate her to no end.

"Rose?" Lily called out almost in a growl.

At this, Rose gave another deep sigh and was silent for a moment before turning back to Lily. Her expression was more like one Lily was accustomed to see her wearing. But Lily's defiance and anger wouldn't drop the subject until she heard an explanation from Rose.

Once the first word escaped Rose, the rest tumbled rapidly. "I'm sorry, Lily. I didn't mean it. I'm just a little stressed at the moment with being head girl and N.E.W.T.'s this year. I'm also sorry that we haven't been able to spend as much time together as we did over the summer. Things are so different this year at Hogwarts. Me with my workload and you with quidditch practices, friends, O.W.L.'s and now detentions. I just don't want you to get expelled. You're the only girl in the family left here and I don't want you to leave me by myself."

At this comment, Lily shifted in her seat and felt guilty. It was true. She'd spent so much time with Delia, Maggie and Jess since they got back that she had neglected Rose completely. She had forgotten that Rose didn't have many friends outside of their family. Normally, she would hang out with Lily's brothers. And now since James was gone, Albus mostly hung out with Hugo. And before James left, Rose would make friends with the Potter boy's girlfriends. But once the Potter boys ended their relationships, those girls no longer had much time for Rose. Her only other female friend was Amelia Wood and that was because she was not involved with either of the Potter boys and was in Rose's school year.

After reprimanding herself, she responded, "I'm sorry too, Rose. But I promise: I'm not going to get expelled. I am working my arse off in detention and I do have ways of dealing with my temper and Malfoy. So far, they are working out just fine."

Rose smiled at her and a few tears trickled down her cheeks. Lily mirrored her response and let out a small chuckle when she felt her own moistened cheeks. While they wiped their faces off with their sleeves, they laughed silently at how silly they were both being.

At that moment, various Gryffindors began to filter back into the common room while bustling with excitement and cheering. Rose eyed them warily for a few seconds and then glanced back to Lily. Suddenly, Rose narrowed her focused on Lily's robes on something that had gone unnoticed previously. When realization hit, Rose's eyes widen in horror.

"Lily?" Rose began, her voice trembling slightly. "Wh-who's blood i-is that? On your robes?" Lily quickly looked down at her robes where Rose was looking.

There were splotches of dried blood still on them. "Oh bugger! I thought I got it all off" she thought aloud. She reached for her wand and muttered a cleaning charm. Quickly, the offensive splatters disappeared from sight. When finished, Lily met Rose's still horror-struck gaze.

"Are you ok?" she whispered. "What happened? Did Scor- Malfoy…", her voice trailed off at the end. Lily frowned as to what Rose was insinuating.

"Oh no! Nothing like that", Lily responded quickly to put her mind at ease. "The blood's not mines. Or Malfoy's. It's Hugo's."

"Hugo's?" Rose repeated.

"Yeah, he has fantastic timing! Remember how I told you that I have ways of dealing with my temper?" Lily grinned as she remembered her little altercation she had with Hugo by the changing rooms. He had said something intentionally provoking she could no longer remember and since she was still fuming over Malfoy's behaviour, she had attacked him. They had sent a few spells towards each other and before Lily had been caught in a body-binding curse, she had sent a spell that caused a small amount of blood to spray out of his mouth. Both were fine however and a truce was agreed. Afterwards, she ran all the way to the common room as he and the boys disappeared out of the castle by using one of the secret passageways to Hogsmeade.

Rose nodded in understanding. "It's a wonder you didn't…I mean, well, he's bigger than…you could have…well, is he ok?" she asked concerned as her eyes searched the room for Hugo.

Lily smirked and found it slightly amusing that Rose had come to the conclusion that Lily had won the duel. Then again, she was the one who had been covered in his blood and he was currently missing.

"Hugo? Yeah, your brother's fine. He's with Al and the boys gathering supplies from Hogsmeade for the party. Anyway, it was a wands-only fight. I'm not daft enough to tackle your brother." At this comment, Rose snorted and shook her head.

"What?" Lily inquired confused.

"You do know that S-Malfoy is even bigger than Hugo, don't you? And yet, you throw punches his way. Lucky for you he doesn't hit back", she grinned.

_You'd be surprised, _Lily thought as she remembered the incident in the Library. He had hurt her badly and had come close to choking the life out of her. He was definitely capable of fighting back and causing her a hell of a lot of damage. The memory brought her attention back to her aching knuckles. She rubbed them tenderly, remembering her purpose. "Hey, I'll be right back. I need to go and find something for my hand."

Rose's brows furrowed as she eyed Lily's cradled hand and asked, "What-why?"

"Malfoy's head is made of stone", Lily replied with a grin and she climbed out of the chair. Rose smiled weakly back at her.

Before she headed towards the dormitory stairs, she turned and rested a hand on the back of the chair she'd just climbed out of. "You know Rose, if you need to talk about anything, and I mean anything, I'm here to listen. And I promise to be impartial, no matter what the subject."

"Thanks Lily, I'll keep that in mind. But it really is just schoolwork that's stressing me out at the moment", Rose assured her. However, Lily thought otherwise as she took in her face but couldn't quite put her finger on what was wrong to call her on it. Since Rose didn't seem to notice her scepticism, she smiled.

"Ok", Lily sighed. "Well, you better join in with the celebrations tonight."

"I will. Oh! That reminds me: Hugo and Al will probably need some help bringing stuff up to the common room". At this comment, Lily watched Rose pick up her pieces of parchment and quills and stuffed them back into her bag.

"Could you-?" Rose began as she held her bag out to Lily suggestively. Lily nodded and took her bag. She knew Rose was asking her to drop it off in her room since she was headed upstairs. Lily swung it easily over her shoulder and watched Rose run to the portrait hole. Once she was gone, Lily proceeded to head up the spiral staircase towards the dorms.

When Lily finished fixing her hand, she went down to the common room to meet Maggie. But she currently wasn't there. Feeling a little irritated, she circled the room looking for someone she knew. No one from her family was back yet and the common room was a weird place without them. Sighing deeply, she leant casually against one of stone walls and watched the other Gryffindors. Occasionally someone would walk over to her, cheer and pull her into a hug. But most of the time, she was left alone to her people watching. Suddenly, the portrait door swung open.

"The butterbeer's here! And we have pumpkin juice for the younger students!" Albus shouted as he and Amelia shoved the crates through the portrait hole. A herd of students cheered and rushed over to take the crates as he handed them out.

"And sweets from Weasley Wizard Wheezes!" Hugo and Rose chorused and there was another stampede. Lily remained against the wall watching them all. Her lips curved up in amusement.

"Aaand, a few extra other things! Gryffindors! Tuck in!" Brian added as he and Chester returned from their trip to the kitchen. The house elves had happily loaded them up with an assortment of treats so there was no need for any of them to go down to supper. _Thank Merlin I don't have detention today,_ Lily thought to herself. It was the weekend and her detentions were thankfully on the weeknights. She picked up a piece of brie and grape sandwich and took a bite out of it.

Thirty minutes later, the portrait hole opened again. It was Maggie and Lily rushed over to her, grateful of her arrival. She was grinning puckishly at Lily which caused her pause. "Hey Lily! Look who I found outside", she winked and Lily peered around her.

"Delia! Jess!" Lily squealed in obvious pleasure. She waited for them to climb through and then wrapped all three of them in a bear hug. While she was waiting, she had been having an internal debate. She'd been torn between celebrating with the rest of her house and spending time with her friends. And here they were! It seemed that ever since her detentions with Malfoy and her heavy workload they couldn't spend time together besides class time.

"Hey Lil's! You kicked some major Slytherin butt today!" Jess congratulated her.

"Yeah! And great right hook!" Delia beamed admiringly, "You'll have to teach me!"

Lily beamed at the lot of them and they headed to get a drink. When she made a grab at a butterbeer bottle, Albus tried to stop her since she was fifteen. Luckily, Amelia convinced him otherwise by saying she deserved one since she'd won the match and after much badgering he gave in. Still, he gave her and her friends a warning.

The girls moved to one side of the room as Jess and Delia remarked how different their common rooms were to the Gryffindor one. They clinked their drinks together as they said 'cheers' and their celebration began.

As they got comfortable, an indignant tone of a certain sixth year Gryffindor interrupted them. "Hey! They can't be here!" he yelled. Maggie and Delia looked over Lily's shoulder at the individual. They both wore a 'What-are-you-going-to-do-about it' look.

Lily spun around to look at the person so fast she almost lost her balance. He was standing about a meter away from them. His arms were folded firmly against his broad chest. His jaw was set and his eyes were narrowed as his piercing stare zoomed in on Lily. At his stare, her defences shot up immediately and glared at him with balled fist. "Zip it, McLaggen", she forced out through gritted teeth and McLaggen glared back. _I've hit a nerve,_ Lily noted, _Exactly what I wanted_.

He didn't respond straight away and Lily noticed his sister Keanna walk over to them. Her attention had been drawn by Lily's use of her surname. Keanna was a lot shorter than her younger brother. She wore her chocolate brown hair in a bob and had a boyish air about her. Her eyes darted between Eoin and Lily as her nostrils flared at the tension between them. Lily didn't know how she'd react if she sent a curse towards Eoin like she was itching to do. Although Lily got along with Keanna during quidditch, they had little contact off the field. Lily braced herself and she felt her friends' bodies stiffen along with her. Suddenly, Keanna's green eyes rolled upwards.

"Eoin! Just relax and enjoy the celebrations. Just because Lucy isn't talking to you right now doesn't mean that you can take it out on Lily."

Eoin turned his gaze at his sister and Keanna looked surprised at the heated sparkle her brother's eyes sent. "Get lost. This has nothing to do with you", he spat. Keanna huffed crossly and Lily saw her frowning. Keanna probably would have sent him a jinx if her boyfriend, the head boy Harrison Davies and Ravenclaw guest, hadn't called her over. As she began to walk towards Davies, she sent a look of concern towards Lily once more.

"It's ok, Keanna." Lily answered automatically and Keanna continued towards Harrison's side. When she was gone, Lily smirked at Eoin. "So Lucy's not talking to you, eh?" She tried to keep her voice cold and calm, disguising the glee she felt at that bit of news. "What happened?"

"None of your business. She'll be fine in the morning. Which is exactly what I love about her", he jeered with smirk. His smirk grew triumphantly as he noted Lily's facial response to his statement. She looked as if she'd been punched in the gut.

_Of all the nerve!_ She gritted her teeth once more and asked aloud, "What is it you want?"

"What the hell was that between you and Zabini?" he growled, taking a step towards her as Lily held her ground.

When he got close, Maggie stepped in between them while facing Eoin and blocking Lily's path. Although she couldn't see Maggie's expression, she could just picture it. Maggie could be menacing when angry. In Lily's opinion, it had to do with all that Slytherin blood in her family.

"Why do you care?" Maggie jeered. "Jealous, McLaggen?" she spat and he shifted backwards slightly.

"Of a snake, not likely", he scoffed. "I'm just wondering where her loyalties lie."

That hurt! Lily had and always will be loyal to Gryffindor. And not just because her family were all Gryffindors. She truly loved her house and everything it stood for. Suddenly, like a bludger, it hit her. She didn't really care what McLaggen thought. So _what_ if he's jealous? True, she had previously toyed with the idea of winning him back by making him mad. But now, she honestly didn't care. That plan would have to be thrown out of the window. _Oh my_, she realized. She let the aftermath calming effect soothe her.

"Duanne is Maggie's brother", Lily replied calmly. "Am I not allowed to talk to my friends' brothers? You seem fine with me talking to Delia's brother Frankie!"

"Yes but he's a Gryffindor", he growled and Lily chuckled. She was enjoying this now.

"So? I'm a Gryffindor, Delia's a Hufflepuff and Jess is a Ravenclaw. What's the problem?" she asked. Lily caught her friend's exchanging amused looks and giggling at Eoin's anger. "Even your Lucy is a Hufflepuff and your sister's boyfriend is a Ravenclaw. Should we really limit our friendships to our own house?"

"The problem is that he's a Slytherin and you're canoodling with the enemy!" he yelled, his face going red.

"I'm not canoodling with _anyone_", Lily laughed. He was being ridiculous. At her laughter, McLaggen began to grin. That response sent her off balance. _Why was he grinning?_

"Ah ha! SO, you've realized that after me you can't get anyone better. And have resigned yourself to a life of abstinence", he laughed at his own joke.

"Oh, _please_", Lily scoffed. That was so far from the truth but his smile only broadened.

"Don't worry, Red. I'm still not interested in girls that don't put out", he smirked.

_DAMN HIM! _She may not care about him anymore but that comment certainly hit a nerve. She was going to kill him! She didn't care that there were witnesses or that she'd be expelled or get sent to Azkaban. She didn't care about what the papers would say when they found out what Harry Potter's, 'the boy who lived', only daughter had done. And she refused to think what her family would say. She was seething and seeing red. She was going to kill him and she wouldn't even use magic. She was going to kill him with her bare hands! She lunged at him.

At the same time, three pair of hands restrained her and she tried to wriggle free growling. Maggie caught her closer to her and whispered soothingly in her ear, "Let's go over here, Lil's. Before you do something you might regret." _Ha! _Lily continued to struggle against their grip. She could hear Eoin laughing and that fuelled her anger more. _She would not regret it! She'd enjoy every second of it! The consequences be damned…the consequences. _She stilled and scanned the room for her brother but he wasn't there. Instead, she saw her cousin Rose laughing with a group of people. _The consequences, No, she couldn't do it. Not to Rose and certainly not over this jackass._

She allowed Delia and Jess to drag her backwards but still kept her eyes on Eoin all the while. She may not kill him tonight but that didn't mean that she was going to let him off the hook scott-free. She didn't care how long it would take her to get her revenge but she was going to relish every second of his downfall. Even if that meant her gaining another detention. Since he wasn't Malfoy, surely the Headmaster wouldn't expel her for what she would do. Right?

After the incident, Eoin had the sense to avoid her for the rest of the night. Lily looked around the room for her brother but saw he was missing. Again. After another ten minutes, Al finally reappeared. He climbed through the portrait hole and held it open. "I have a present for you Lily!" he announced with a broad smile on his face. Lily stepped forward to meet him. She really needed some good news now. She was starting to get fed up with all the conflicts she had had all day. When nothing happened, she raised her brows expectantly.

Out of nowhere, invisible arms wrapped around her and lifted her off the ground. She screamed before her brain registered that there wasn't any threat. Her brother would never put her in danger purposely. Al loved her too much. As Lily struggled with the arms of her invisible hugger, her fingers finally wrapped around the fabric of a cloak. She gave it a hard yank and the fabric fell away from the man's head. He had shoulder length ebony hair, sun-kissed skin and familiar sparkling brown eyes.

"James!" Lily shrieked with joy and wrapped her arms around her elder brother. "What are you _doing_ here? I thought you were supposed to be training with Louis and the rest of the team?" she exclaimed, though she was really happy to see him.

He lowered her down again and draped his arm around her shoulders as he directed her towards the sofa. "I couldn't miss the opportunity to celebrate with my little sis. Especially when she's just won her first match as Captain", he explained and grabbed a butterbeer from Albus. "Well done, chuck!" he toasted.

Lily beamed at him, "I know! Can you believe it? And against Slytherin as well, though it was a close match. They really fought dirty, especially with Warrington on their team. Did you hear what that troll did to Al? He hit him with a bat and tried to defend himself by saying that he thought Al's head was a bludger! He's ok, obviously. Madame Bones patched him up. But I still couldn't believe Warrington! Now I know he's thick but come on! No one was ever going to believe _that_." James shook his head grinning at Lily's rant and continued to listen to her. While she continued her story, Lily intentionally left out the part about her hitting Malfoy. Although James didn't think much of him either, he still wouldn't approve of her hitting him. In James opinion, Malfoy could seriously retaliate and really hurt Lily.

They chatted on for a few more minutes by themselves on the couch when Al finally joined in and leaned against one of the armrest. After another few minutes, Amelia, Rose and Lily's friends also joined them by the fire. They were all surprised and happy to see him and several other students came over to greet their former head boy. Maggie was particularly interested, Lily noticed, and managed to slip herself into the other space next to him.

"Duanne wasn't impressed with his teams tactics either", Lily continued. He-" but James cut her off.

"Duanne?" he repeated.

"Yes. You know? Maggie's brother?" she explained and motioned towards Maggie. James twisted in his seat to face a smiling Maggie though her smile faltered at his expression.

She shrugged. "I have no control over my brother's actions. So don't glare at me like that! It's not my fault Lily's referring to him on a first name basis", Maggie grumbled, sending Lily a glare for making James annoyed with her.

After that, they resumed their conversation and things seemed to settle down nicely. It seemed that everyone was just happy to be in each other's company and enjoying each other. When the clock struck ten, Lily and her friends went off to drink the rest of the butterbeer and eat the leftover pastries. When they finished, they returned to James, Amelia, Al, Rose and Hugo and continued to sit by the fire. Hugo was the last to join them. He'd been talking to Chester and his two twin sisters Sofia and Sydney until Coleen Creevy had come and taken Chester to her dormitory. At that point, Hugo left the third year twins and they headed to their room disgruntled. Both Maggie and Lily had watched Chester leave with Coleen and shuddered. They were going to give their roommate a wide berth tonight.

By midnight the common room was almost empty. Some Gryffindors had gone to their dorms while others slept in the common room. Hugo and Delia had curled up together and slept in the same large armchair. Lily too was feeling drowsy but not so much from sleep. Lily had consumed a pretty good amount of butterbeer but not enough to make her drunk. The drink was too weak to have any major effects. Instead, it seemed to have mellowed her out.

Al was still sitting by the fire and was currently brooding while nursing his butterbeer. All night long he had tried to engage Maggie in conversation but she seemed too involved in flirting with James. James, however, seemed a little uncomfortable by her advances. While they talked, Amelia had fallen asleep and was leaning against his shoulder. James didn't seem to mind this. As he continued to talk with Maggie, he let Amelia rest there. It was an interesting site when one observed the four of them on that couch. Entertaining indeed. As her eyes drifted to the couch, Lily noted how James and Amelia would make a cute couple. However, she didn't see the likelihood of them being together anytime soon. Both had been best friends since they were children and it seemed that James didn't see Amelia in that light. It was a big pity because Lily really liked Amelia.

While James and Maggie talked amongst themselves, Rose, Jess and Lily chatted about anything that came to mind and tried to bring Albus into their conversation. Al however, seemed unwilling.

Suddenly, there was a loud crack of someone apparating into the room. They all looked around startled. Even Hugo, Delia and Amelia woke up with a start. Lily's sleepy eyes met the source of the noise. An elderly house elf stood in the centre of the room, his arms weighed down by numerous packages he held. She recognized the elf immediately.

"Hi Kreacher", Lily yawned and waved at the little elf.

"I did not wake you!" he croaked in surprise and he shuffled towards her. "That is good. I was just going to leave these here." He handed her the packages. "They arrived from somewhere in the east", he bowed and Lily nodded her head in response.

Lily perked up when she realized what he had just handed to her. The packages in her hands contained some of the most amazing fabrics she had ever seen while on her travels with Rose and her Aunt Hermione. She ordered them with the intent of creating formal outfits for her best friends and Rose. And they were finally here! She knelt down and hugged Kreacher. He shied away shaking his head. "I have these for you too", he said and handed her a small pile of letters. "And some for the young masters as well."

Lily pocketed her letters and thanked Kreacher again as he handed the letters to James and Albus. They too thanked Kreacher for them. When he told her he was heading back to Grimmauld's place, she made him promise to visit again soon. The house elf said he would be honoured and agreed just before he disappeared with another loud crack.

Once he was gone, Delia poked her head up from Hugo's shoulder, whom shifted under the weight of her movement. "What have you got there?" she yawned. Lily turned the packages over in her hands and told Delia that she'd have to wait and see but promised she'd love it in the end. That got her even more excited to Lily's dismay. She tried hard to evade her questions on the subject until she finally decided to drop it albeit disgruntled. Not long after, Albus walked Jess and Delia back to their common rooms while using the invisibility cloak and the Marauder's map. He had inherited both from James, who had inherited them from their father. While he was gone, Amelia and Rose said their good nights and went up to their dorm.

As for Maggie and Lily, they finally deemed it safe to brave their dormitory but still waited with James for Albus to return. James needed Al's help so he could sneak him out of the castle. Thankfully, Albus didn't take long and Lily said her goodbyes.

"It's been great seeing you!" she told her brother and pulled him into a tight hug.

He chuckled and hugged her back with equal enthusiasm. "I'll see you at Christmas if not before", he told her and kissed her gently on the cheek.

As Lily turned, she saw Maggie hovering behind her and staring at James. "Are you coming up now?" she asked her. Maggie looked down at her and blinked. "In a minute, babe. I won't be long. I promise." she answered. She then sent a meaningful gaze to James who shifted uncomfortably. Lily frowned at this as did Al. Abruptly, Al stormed over to the portrait hole with the cloak and map in his hands. He left without another word. Lily stared after him for a few seconds and began her walk to her dorm.

After a few paces, curiosity got the better of her and decided to turn back. Lurking in the shadows, she spied on Maggie and James. They were currently talking in hushed voices in the common room. Lily strained her ears to try and listen in. However, due to the poor acoustics in the room, she was unsuccessful. Disappointed, she relied solely on her sight. Maggie was acting out her usual flirtatious techniques and was playfully running a finger against her full lower lip. At this, Lily saw James' gaze flicker reluctantly to her lips and back to her eyes. Silently, Lily willed her brother to find the strength to walk away.

The last thing Lily wanted was for them to become a couple. Though Lily loved Maggie to pieces, like a sister even, Lily knew that she was capable of really hurting her brother. Maggie loved to flirt and move from one conquest to another rather quickly. So Lily really hated the idea of James being another conquest. Yes, James could annoy her and sometimes act the obnoxious over-protective older brother role to a tee. But he still meant the world to Lily.

Unfortunately, her wishful thinking was not enough however. Lily watched in horror as James finally gave in to temptation and buried his hands in her friends raven black hair and crushed his lips against hers. At this, Lily began to back away silently but was unable to tear her eyes away from them. Their kiss was beginning to get intense. Maggie's hands began to roam the outline of his shoulders and snaked down his chest until one hand tried to slip below the waistband of his jeans. At this sight, Lily slammed a hand against her mouth to stop herself from gasping aloud. She knew she shouldn't be there watching but her legs wouldn't move her away fast enough.

Nevertheless, Lily was still watching and saw her brother's back stiffened immediately. With lightning reflexes, he stopped Maggie's hands in their tracks. He pushed her away lightly from him while frowning. He seemed to say something to her before he finally walked away in the direction of the portrait hole. Maggie seemed to be in shock and stared breathlessly after him. At her reaction, Lily took her chance to flee. Silently, she hurried towards their dorm and climbed into her bed before Maggie could catch up with her. She didn't want her to find out that Lily had been watching her.

**Thanks for reading**

**17/04/2011 Edited with the help of Erika aka CullensGirl13**


	13. C13: Feeling adventurous

**Date: 02/10/09 I wasn't happy with the way I way portraying some of my characters or the pace of the story so I've decided to revamp it. I wanted to develop the family bond between the Weasleys and Potters and explain a lot of their actions more. If you've read this before I really hope you take the time to read the changes because I've made a lot of them. I hope you like the changes. Intended to be read by more mature teens and above because of later chapters.**

**Thank you: rgnaeop, ga-4-ever, turner, angelsea and Violet Strawberri for the reviews**

Chapter 13: Feeling adventurous

Just over a week after their victory, on a Tuesday morning Lily sat between Maggie and Hugo at the end of the Gryffindor table during breakfast. She took a bite out of some buttered toast and reread the letter she'd just finished writing. The night Kreacher visited he had given her a letter from practically every member of her family who were no longer at Hogwarts and it had taken her over a week to reply to them. The response she now held in her wand was the last one.

It was for Teddy and her cousin Victoire. They'd been engaged for a while now but had only just announced the date it was going to take place. It would happen during the Christmas holidays at the Burrow. Lily had no idea why they had set such a short deadline and there was no way that they'd be able to plan the perfect day in such little time. However there was no doubt that they were in love and being so seemed to excuse them from any rash decisions. Lily didn't get it, she wanted a big wedding with hundred and hundreds of people there. Teddy had written that they had capped the attendance at two hundred and it would be mostly family and friends.

Lily's gaze flickered to Eoin he wasn't looking at her and she was glad of it. She didn't want him to get the wrong impression. She was pleased to note that she felt nothing of the previous heart ache or jealousy she'd experienced. She realised now that she had never truly loved him, it was more her pride that had been hurt and she wanted revenge. She had a vague idea of what she was going to do to him but she didn't know when exactly she was going to do it. One thing for sure she was going to have to wait for the Headmaster to cool off a bit and for a time where it would have its greatest impact. The headmaster was in a better mood since Lily and Malfoy were staying out of trouble out of their detentions due to the workload and tight schedule they both had. During their detentions they were less physically aggressive to each other although the words they exchanged were in no way savoury. They were both trying to stay out of trouble to avoid the headmaster's wrath.

Suddenly she became aware of the sensation of being watched and she squirmed uncomfortably. She tore her eyes away from Eoin and sought the source of her discomfort: Albus He looked strained as if struggling for control over something and his knuckles were white from gripping his knife and fork. She couldn't understand why he was acting this way and smiled at him hoping to ease him. He gave a curt twitch of his head in response and lowered his eyes to his full English breakfast.

Lily sighed and tried to shake of her feelings of unease since Albus' actions had done nothing to sate them. Her brother was unhappy about something and she was sure she'd find out soon enough. She turned her attention back to her letter. In the original letter Teddy and Victoire had asked Lily to design the wedding dress. She had done this gladly having already begun sketching ideas the night that Teddy had broke the news to her that he was going to propose around a year ago. It was really extravagant but anything less would look plain on her part Veela cousin. She only hoped there was enough time to make it since it was already the end of October.

Once Lily finished proofreading the letter she folded it up along with the drawing of the wedding gown and slipped the pieces of parchment into an envelope. She pulled out and additional piece of parchment and scribbled a quick note to her cousin Lucy whom she knew would be asked to make the dress. Lucy worked at Madame Malkin's robes for all occasions and had been there since she'd left school. It wasn't the job her father had wanted for her but it makes her happy and so her father, Lily's Uncle Percy, stopped trying to get her to work for the Ministry. After all his daughter Molly worked in the Department of International Magical Cooperation and he didn't need both daughters working for the Ministry.

Although Madame Malkin had passed on many years ago, her niece Alberta Morton ran the store and kept the name for reputation sake. Their lines were much more with the times but they still stocked the more traditional robes for the old-fashioned witch and wizard. Lily had a line of clothing there called 'Lotus flower' these included modern dress robes and everyday robes along with muggle clothes sorted into sets in order to help the clueless witches and wizards camouflage in with the non-magical community.

Although her whole family knew that she was interested in a career in fashion, they didn't know that there were witches and wizards walking around in clothes of her design. Lily had not yet braved telling her family or friends. Her family would freak out if they found out that she wasn't giving her studies her full attention but she really didn't see the importance of the subjects she was taking since they had nothing to do with the career she wanted. However she worked hard all the same and always got good grades.

In fact only Lucy knew of her range of clothing and that was only because she had caught Lily dropping off her designs at the store last Easter. Lucy promised to keep her secret and as yet she remained true to her word not that Lily had expected her to blab or anything. Lucy just wasn't like that. She was caring, friendly and loyal but didn't care much for rules and that's why Lily knew her secret was safe with her. Her elder sister Molly on the other hand had a great respect for rules and followed them to the letter. If she knew that Lily wasn't completely dedicated to her studies then she would have told her parents at once and Lily would probably have received another Howler.

Lily sealed the envelope and turned to Hugo. "Hey, can I borrow Moony to send this to Teddy?"

Hugo looked up from his plate, "e's oot at da mom ent" he told her through a mouthful of food. Lily cringed and waited for him to swallow. Hugo had picked up that nasty habit from his father, he washed down his breakfast with a swig of orange juice. "He isn't back from Uncle Bill's yet." Lily sighed, she was going to have to wait until owl post and hope that someone in her family received mail this morning. She turned to Maggie and they began to talk about their plans for the day, what lessons they had and when their free periods were.

It wasn't long before a chorus of hoots echoed around the hall announcing the arrival of owl post. She searched the sky in an attempt to seek out an owl she recognised. She found one. A large snowy owl swooped towards her carrying a package. She recognised the owl as Rapier, he belonged to her Uncle George. To Lily's surprise Rapier, unloaded the parcel in front of Lily and she reached in her robes and for some owl treats to offer him. He nipped affectionately at her fingers as she spoke to him. "I have a letter for Teddy and Victoire, will you take it to them?" she cooed. The owl hooted and lifted a leg so that Lily could attach the letter to him. She offered him another treat which he took willingly and then stretched his wings and took flight.

Lily watched the owl soar out of the hall and was delighted by her good luck. "What have you got there Lily?" Albus asked from across the table. He himself had not received any mail today and he was a little disgruntled that Lily had.

Lily turned her attention to the package and unwrapped it. Stamped on the side of the box was the logo for Weasley Wizard Wheezes and there was a small note attached which read:

_Lily, _

_Your Aunt Angelina want me to tell you that she hope all is well and that you're behaving. Personally I'm not to bothered about the latter, I just hope you are having fun. I know how gruelling studying for your owls can be._

_To liven things up here's a selection of some prototypes Freddie and I have been working on. I think they and right up your street and they may come in useful - I heard about your detention! I'm so proud of you flower. _

_Well Freddie and I were talking and we thought you may want them sooner rather than later. So here's a sample out before they go on sale. Be careful, we've only tested them out on ourselves at the moment but they seem ok._

_Please write back and tell us what you think of them! Also if you think any amendments are needed just say and we'll work on them some more. Happy Halloween._

_Love George and Freddie._

_xx _

_P.S. Congratulation on kicking some Slytherin butt. I have my fingers crossed for a Gryffindor win this season. _

Lily's eyes widened in surprise and she cursed to herself for being so forgetful. She'd forgotten that it was Halloween today! She slotted the box of sweets and chocolates into her robe pocket and answered Albus' question. "It's a gift from Uncle George and Freddie." she admitted and acknowledged that she probably didn't need to sound so smug.

He managed to swallow his food before his jaw dropped. "What? He never gives me presents!" he exclaimed over the unfairness of it all. He threw a bread roll at Rose who had her nose in a book as usual. Rose placed the book on the table and kept her manner placid and looked expectantly at her best friend. "What about you Rose, does Uncle George send you presents without a reason?"

Rose bent over the table slightly more interested. She turned to Lily and she shrugged acting as if she didn't know what Albus was talking about. She turned her mocha brown eyes on Albus. "No never. I only get gifts on my birthday and at Christmas." she confirmed.

"Pity, he must love me more than you!" she teased smugly and took another bite out of her toast. Albus and Rose screwed up their faces and Lily thought they looked hilarious. They exchanged glances and at the same time reached for a bread roll. They launched them at Lily. She shrieked when she managed to dodge the first one but not the second. She grabbed a handful of raisins and threw them at her brother and cousin. Several of them hit their target. Laughing they reached for more ammunition. Al picked up a bowl of cherries and flung their entire contents at Lily, she shrieked with laughter again and reached for something else to hurl their way.

A throaty cough interrupted their laughter and Lily felt herself grown in response. Slowly she twisted in her seat and her eyes met the midriff of someone donned in neatly pressed black robes. Her gaze lifted until it rested in the impassive face of Professor Longbottom. She cringed inwardly expecting to get another detention.

"Lily, can I have a quick word please" it was more of a demand than a question. Lily glanced at her family who sat there shrugging. If she got in trouble because of this she was taking them down with her but first she'd hear Professor Longbottom out.

"sure thing Nev-" she started and grimaced. "I mean Professor Longbottom," she sighed at her mistake. Not only was Professor Longbottom Delia's dad but he was also a close friend of her parents since they'd been at Hogwarts together. "Sorry" she added and stepped over the bench and followed him to the edge of the room.

"That's ok Lily." he informed her, his tone a little friendlier now that they stood apart from the other students, "I just wanted to say how proud I am with you." Lily's eyes widened in surprise. After being caught in the middle of a food fight the last thing she expected to hear was praise. She looked over at her brothers who were now busying themselves with finishing their breakfast. Professor Longbottom sighed and continued, "So you've had a few hiccups but all the staff have seen a marked improvement in your behaviour. I just wanted to let you know it's not gone unnoticed."

"Thank you professor" Lily beamed and felt the heat rise to her face and she knew she was blushing.

"Unfortunately I haven't managed to get you out of detention with Mr Malfoy tonight so you'll have to miss the Halloween celebration however that does not mean that you can't celebrate in your common room after nine." Lily groaned at that news. She'd forgotten about the detention this evening. All her friends had completed their doses of detentions and Lily and Malfoy were nowhere near completing their task in the library.

"Thanks for trying Professor." she smiled gratefully. He nodded and walked towards the staff table to sit next to the headmaster.

Lily returned to the Gryffindor table to find that her brother and Cousins had already left for class. "cowards" she muttered to Maggie who laughed although she wasn't really paying attention.

Lily was about to sit down when Maggie turned to her. "Sorry Lily, I need to talk to Margarita before class, you don't mind do you?" Maggie asked looking uneasily towards the door. Lily followed her gaze and saw Maggie's twin sister leaning against the doorframe. Despite the distance Lily could see that her eyes were all red and puffy. It was obvious that she'd been crying.

"You need to do what you need to do Mags, I'll go and meet up with Jess and we'll catch up with you in History of Magic." Lily gave Maggie a small push towards the door and followed her part way in the direction of the Ravenclaw table.

Jess sat at the end of the Ravenclaw table furthest away from the teachers table with her back to the Slytherin table. Conveniently sat on the Slytherin table just behind Jess facing Lily's direction was Duanne Zabini and his group of friends.

Jess was staring down at her porridge and so didn't notice her approach. Lily rested her palms on the edge of the table opposite Jess and leant forward. "Morning Jess" she chimed in a singsong voice.

Startled, Jess dropped her spoon in the bowl of porridge and clumps of milky goo splattered everywhere. Lily chuckled and watched a frowning Jess wave her wand making the clumps of porridge on her clothes and in her hair vanish. She then met Lily's eyes and grinned. "Good morning, and to what do I owe this pleasure?"

Lily stole a quick glance over Jess's head towards the Slytherin table. Duanne wasn't paying any attention to her, he was too enthralled in his conversation with Malfoy. Lily huffed, she was going to have to resort to desperate measures. She pulled her bobble out of her hair and shook her head so that it hung loose around her shoulders and then unfastened part of her school robes so that the majority of the tight, white, v-neck blouse she wore underneath was visible. Jess raised her eyebrows questioningly but said nothing. "Oh, you know, I thought I'd just come over so that we can go to class together. Maggie is going to meet us there."

"Indeed" Jess smirked and ate another scoop of porridge. The boy sat next to Jess grunted uncomfortably, sent Lily a yearning look and got up to leave. Lily recognised him as Tobias Jasper, a Ravenclaw in their year.

"What's wrong with Jaz?" Lily asked Jess as she watched him flee the room as fast as he could.

Jess grinned knowingly as if replaying a scene she'd witnessed earlier. "Your brother had words with him yesterday."

Lily frowned. That comment meant only one thing but that didn't make sense. Jaz was a friend and had never shown any interest in Lily that went beyond that friendship. In fact Lily had always suspected that he batted for the other side. She rolled her eyes, she obviously wasn't as perceptive as her brothers. "words or _words_?" Lily asked slightly amused by her misconception, they both knew that the second _words_ implicated a more threatening conversation.

Jess gave an unladylike snort. "both I think." Both girls laughed and from the corner of her eye Lily could see several Slytherin's tilt their heads in her direction. Duanne was among them. Grinning she leant forwards across the table intentionally making sure that no one blocked her from Duanne's line of view,

Jess suddenly shielded her eyes with her hands "oh wow Lily, please, I can see down your top!" she complained drawing the attention of several students. Some turned away immediately whilst others continued to gawk.

Lily couldn't help but laugh again at the deep blush appearing on Jess's cheeks. She straightened up and fastened a button that had popped open. "Well you shouldn't be staring at my breasts, lesbo!" she chortled.

Lily braved a glance over Jess's shoulder and saw Duanne's intense gaze as he looked over at her and he wasn't looking at her face. Lily's cheeks flushed under his heated gaze, she glanced down and made sure that she was respectably covered up. Lily grinned at him and slowly his gaze rose upwards. For good measure she waved at him letting him know that he'd been caught eying her up.

"They were in my face, how could I miss them?" Jess was laughing but Lily was still looking at Duanne. He showed no embarrassment about being caught out. Instead he smiled seductively and winked at her. "hey wait, are you even…" Jess continued, twisting in her chair to see who had Lily's attention because it was obvious it wasn't Jess. "oh, I see. Those perky mounds were not for my benefit."

Lily took that wink as enough encouragement to go and talk to him and was only half listening to Jess's ramblings "Sorry Jess, did you say something?" she asked still smiling at Duanne.

"You are unbelievable" she heard Jess complain however she was sauntering over to the Slytherin table with an exaggerated sway of her hips leaving Jess shouting after her "Lily where the hell are…you…going?"

Duanne didn't take his eyes off her as she meandered around students leaving early for class and she kept her eyes on him. When she reached him she casually slid plates across the table between him and Malfoy and sat in the space she'd just cleared looking directly at him. "Hey Duanne" she said flirtatiously and flashed him a dazzling smile.

"Good mourning, to what do I owe this pleasure?" he asked boldly placing his hand so that it covered her own.

Lily's skin tingled at the touch and she smiled at the same words Jess had used to greet her. "oh you know, I just though I'd be adventurous today. I haven't been to this side of the hall before," she replied in a carefree manner.

"You planning on making this part of your mourning routine?" he inquired looking impressed at her gall for venturing over to the Slytherin table,

"You never know, with a little encouragement I may come down here more often. My eyes are here Duanne!" she chuckled as his gaze slid to her breasts. She hooked a finger under his chin and gently ushered him to raise his gaze.

"Was that encouragement enough?" he asked mischievously.

Lily giggled at the blatancy of his actions. "You'll just have to wait and find out."

His dark eyes glistened hopefully "Do you have any plans after supper?"

"Alas I do." Lily sighed disappointedly "I happen to have a detention I'm unable to wriggle out of so I'll regretfully be stuck with this moron." her attention shifted to Malfoy and found that he'd been glaring at them as they exchanged words. Now that she had looked away from Duanne she could see that several Slytherin faces were glaring at her.

She decided not to look at their hostile faces and turned her attention back to Duanne. She felt Malfoy stiffen beside her and Duanne was sending him glances of unease as if waiting for something that was going to happen any second now. "get your butt out of my face!" Malfoy snapped in irritation through gritted teeth.

"If it offends you so much, leave!" Lily suggested matching the level of annoyance in her voice to that in his.

To Lily's and many of the Slytherin's surprise Malfoy jumped to his feet. "Fine" he huffed "I was leaving anyway." he stormed off exhibiting vibes that had students hurrying out of his way.

"Who peed in his cornflakes today?" she scowled and watched his retreat unable to tear her eyes off him until he whipped around the corner and was out of sight.

She then turned to Duanne expectantly. He shrugged not entirely certain and suggested, "It could be the fact that he's going to have to delay his party tonight because of a certain detention you just reminded him about."

"His party?" Lily inquired, it was Halloween so that shouldn't really make it his party, it was just one of the various events Hogwarts insisted on celebrating.

"yes, it's his birthday today."

Lily resisted the urge to snort. "Really? His birthday is on Halloween?" she asked, when he nodded she murmured "how fitting." it was ironic that such a disagreeable, fowl, nasty piece of work shared his birthday with Halloween, the day that muggle children dressed up as various monsters and creatures.

"When's yours?" he asked trying not to sound interested but Lily knew that he was.

"Why? Are you going to get me a present?" she asked delaying having to answer that question.

He smirked similarly to how Malfoy would smirk but it made him look even more dashing "I'll think about it. You'll be turning sixteen right?"

"Yes, it's in February!" she sighed and waited for his reaction.

"That long?" he asked disappointed and Lily knew instantly what the problem was.

"Please tell me I haven't found the only snake with morals?" Lily complained teasingly "You Slytherins are supposed to be lacking in that area."

Duanne smiled apologetically at her, "When about in February?" he inquired curiously and picked up his drink.

Lily sighed and leant forward to whisper the answer in his ear as if it was one big secret. "It's February 14th"

He choked on his pumpkin juice he was just taking a sip of. "For real?"

Lily put on a charade of innocence "would I lie to you?"

Duanne frowned "I don't know?" he answered honestly. "Promise me you aren't shitting me." he asked looking unsure of himself.

"scouts honour!" she smiled radiantly.

"What?" he asked and Lily couldn't help but notice how endearing he looked when he was confused. It was the same expression he wore on the train when they had a discussion about her navel piercing.

"I'm not shitting you, my birthday really is on valentines day." she clarified.

"Do you have a date?" he mused more to himself than to Lily.

"For the valentine's day ball? It's four months away of course I don't." she grinned.

His brows shot up in surprise that she'd bothered to answer him. "Do you fancy it?"

Lily slipped off the table and stood beside him looking "We'll see, are you going to stay away from me until then?"

"Hell no!" he looked appalled by the suggestion "I mean…hey, when will I see you again?" He asked, quickly recovering his composure but Lily was walking away to meet Jess having achieved the reaction she wanted.

"When you come looking of course" She shot over her shoulder as she glanced back at him as she departed. Duanne looked pleased with himself but Lily didn't have much time to reflect on that since she had Jess to apologise to and with the major pissed off vibes emitting off her right now, Lily had a lot of apologising to do.

**I'd really like to know what you guys think of this, I'm open to suggestions of how to improve each chapter.**


	14. C14: Class

**Date: 02/10/09 I wasn't happy with the way I way portraying some of my characters or the pace of the story so I've decided to revamp it. I wanted to develop the family bond between the Weasleys and Potters and explain a lot of their actions more. If you've read this before I really hope you take the time to read the changes because I've made a lot of them. I hope you like the changes. Intended to be read by more mature teens and above because of later chapters.**

**Thank you tommyloves, Violet Strawberri and One who turns for the review**

Chapter 14: Class

Lily wondered to her Transfiguration class in the early afternoon reviewing her day so far. History of Magic was the most numbing class in existence. Professor Binns must be the most boring professor ever to grace the halls of Hogwarts. Since he was a ghost it meant that generations and generations of students had to suffer the misfortune of listening to him drone on and on until the end of their OWL year. Fortunately that meant that Lily only had one year left with him because she was definitely not carrying on the subject for her NEWTS. Apparently Professor Binn's had died while he slept in a chair in the staffroom. Lily was half surprised that there weren't ghosts haunting Hogwarts whom had died of boredom in his class. Because honestly, _the body could only take so much mind numbing crap_!

Fortunately Jess had forgiven her as soon as she had mumbled her apologies because otherwise Lily would have been tempted to throw herself out of the classroom window! So instead of having to listen to Professor Binn's rambling she was able to listen to Jess profess that she found the scene earlier rather entertaining since she was watching everyone's reactions.

Jess told her that the Hufflepuffs and Ravenclaws who had noticed only looked mildly curious by Lily's little escapade. The Gryffindors had looked slightly more baffled and many of them pointed and stared. Several of them, mainly boys, Jess had told her, had actually got up and exited the hall barging people out of the way. When Lily asked if Eoin McLaggen was one of them Jess nodded and Lily felt a twang of satisfaction.

The Slytherins, as Lily had also noticed had looked livid about the invasion of their territory. Jess announced that the only thing that stopped them from either interrupting Lily and Duanne and forcibly removing her or sending a curse her way was Malfoy's expression. Malfoy had apparently watched the flirtatious interactions of Duanne and Lily with such fierce intensity that Jess had expected the pair of then to shoot up in flames. The only time when he wasn't glaring at them what when he was shooting warning death glares at his fellow Slytherin when they dared to attempt approaching them.

Lily puzzled over this. It was obvious that they wouldn't have harmed Duanne, just Lily. The thought of Malfoy ensuring Lily didn't get hurt was absurd. Jess and Lily agreed that he obviously had an ulterior motive and that Lily should be on her guard. However when Malfoy wasn't in her present vicinity Lily was grateful that Malfoy had gained the respect with the Slytherin house his family had lost after the war.

After History of Magic, Lily had had Potions with the Slytherins. Lily sat in her usual spot with Maggie and Margarita. The twins were in deep conversation. Lily only caught snippets of the conversation although she tried not to overhear their mutterings. Margarita was having boy trouble. This so called boy whom Margarita kept saying that she was in love with showed no sign of acknowledging that she even existed. This was bizarre because she was unbelievably gorgeous and could no doubt be a model if she so wished. Lily thought that the boy in question was either dumb and not worthy of her time, gay or infatuated with someone else. The latter seemed the least likely of the lot since if you could have someone like Margarita or Maggie you definitely wouldn't be obsessing about anyone else, they just wouldn't measure up to the goddesses! She didn't share her opinions with the twins though.

Instead Lily spent most of the lesson discussing the antidote she was working on with the portrait of Severus Snape whom was watching the lesson with only mild interest. He was far more intelligent than their present potions teacher Professor Greengrass. Professor Snape would often stretch Lily's knowledge beyond the limits of the school curriculum and Lily found it rather refreshing. She had always found class too easy since she often read her brothers and cousins textbooks whenever she was bored over the holidays. At the end of the lesson the Professor had reluctantly given her full marks for her antidote. Lily had sent a subtle wink towards her favourite portrait and saw the edges of his mouth curve slightly.

Lunch had passed without incident and so Lily arrived at her Transfiguration class with a full stomach and cheerful presence. Transfiguration was one of Lily's favourite subjects although the teacher was a rather elderly wizard close to retirement and often forgot what he was supposed to be doing halfway through the lesson. A fact that amused all the Hogwarts students.

Maggie caught up with Lily just outside the classroom door. "Sorry I'm late" she muttered to Lily.

Lily's thoughts snapped back to the present, she acknowledged her apology and pushed open the heavy oak door. "That's ok, How's your sister doing?" Lily asked as she made her way to her usual spot. She passed Hugo who sat by himself several rows in front of Lily's intended destination.

Both girls waved at Hugo as the passed him, "she's ok now. I think I've managed to sort her out." Maggie told her as they sat down at their desks at the back of the room. Lily didn't press for further information. Instead they discussed Delia's current absence, the Halloween party tonight and how gutted Lily was that she had to miss it. Luckily Halloween wasn't one of the major celebrations since the party only officially went on until curfew.

The main holidays seemed to be Christmas, Valentines day and May 2nd, the end of war celebrations. Since Lily knew she would be going home instead of attending the Yule ball she only hoped that she'd be able to get out of detention for the other two parties.

Slowly the desks started filling up with Gryffindor and Hufflepuff students however the Professor was yet to make an appearance. The door flung open and Lily automatically looked in its direction. "Finally Delia what took you so long?" Lily exclaimed when Delia came barging through the door looking rather alarmed at her lateness but relaxed when she noticed that the Professor was absent.

Delia glanced towards them and Lily could tell instantly what had taken her so long to arrive. Delia had obviously been in the girls bathroom artily applying make up. It was a good thing that Professor Stuart was half blind or she would be given a detention for looking like that. "Erm well, I'll tell you later I have- yeah." Delia stammered and stopped short of the seat Lily and Maggie had saved for her by several rows.

"Delia what are you doing?" Lily asked and Delia flicked her hand nonchalantly in response.

This caused both Lily and Maggie to gape at her. "Is she ditching us Lils?" Maggie asked gob smacked.

"Who the hell is she ditching us for? That's not very Hufflepuff of her" Lily complained. Since the classroom was now almost full it was difficult to see who Delia sat next to.

"Oh my…" Maggie began but was interrupted by Lily who spotted that Delia sat next to Hugo a second after Maggie.

"No way. She is so not doing that." She complained adamantly completely rejecting what her eyes were telling her. She scrunched up a piece of parchment and chucked it at Delia's head.

"Ouch, watch it." Delia complained turning to face them.

"What do you think you are you doing?" Lily yelled drawing the attention of their classmates.

Delia flushed a deep crimson colour and Lily could see Hugo's ears turning red but he was refusing to look at her. "Oh, Hugo's been tutoring me, I thought you knew!"

"How could I if you didn't tell me?" Lily complained knowing full well that Delia had never mentioned anything about it to her and neither had Hugo. Lily decided she wasn't talking to Hugo anymore and Delia? Well she'd deal with her later.

"Sorry must have slipped my mind" Delia grinned impishly and then professor Stuart shuffled into the room leaning heavily on his cane "I better get to work."

When Delia had turned to face the teacher Lily muttered to Maggie under her breath, "Must have slipped her mind, my arse! He better only be teaching her the ways of transfiguration or I'll kill them both."

Maggie failed to suppress a chuckle at the insinuation in Lily's voice, "You're so dramatic."

Lily rolled her eyes. Of course she was dramatic, life was dull without a little drama to stir things up. She grinned boldly "Would you have it any other way?" Maggie had the good sense to shake her head at that question.

Soon after Professor Stuart started sending an assortment of objects floating through the air landing on students desks and announced that by the end of the lesson they needed to have transfigured it into a living rabbit. Only a handful of students managed it. By the time the lesson ended Lily had successfully transfigured a chair, teapot and a cushion into three rabbits. She considered trying her new ability on Hugo and Delia but Maggie had talked her out of it. Spoil sport!

**I'd really like to know what you guys think of this, I'm open to suggestions of how to improve each chapter.**


	15. C15: Busted

**Date: 02/10/09 I wasn't happy with the way I way portraying some of my characters or the pace of the story so I've decided to revamp it. I wanted to develop the family bond between the Weasleys and Potters and explain a lot of their actions more. If you've read this before I really hope you take the time to read the changes because I've made a lot of them. I hope you like the changes. Intended to be read by more mature teens and above because of later chapters.**

**Thank you: kt potter 93, a small free kiss in the dark, tommyloves, brnnttebabe12 and Violet Strawberri for the reviews**

Chapter 15: Busted

Hugo found out just how annoyed Lily was with him during their Defence Against the Dark Arts class with the Slytherins. Maggie was partnered with her sister so Lily was forced to partner with him. Childishly she refused to talk directly to him for the entire lesson, she used Brian and Chester as willing mediators. To Lily's great amusement Hugo grew gradually redder due to her lack of communication until he resembled a beetroot. He seemed ignorant of the reasons behind Lily's behaviour and she knew full well that he wasn't.

When the class came to practise their counter-curses and curses, Lily intentionally muttered a different spell under her breath which sent Hugo flying into a tank containing a Grindylow. Swamp water flooded the classroom and the Grindylow's brittle fingers clamped around and dug into Hugo's arm so tightly that it drew blood. Professor Padma Thomas had gone berserk but Lily managed to talk her into believing that it was an accident. After the incident Lily was satisfied that Hugo had been punished enough for the time being and so she resumed talking to him. Hugo was so relieved that Lily was talking to him again that he didn't even scold Lily for her prank.

After class Lily walked into the dinning room with Maggie and Hugo by her side. The doors to the great hall opened before her but she got no further than the entrance. She and Maggie stood in awe gazing into the room. The house elves and staff had really out done themselves this year.

The house tables were not in their normal locations. Instead they were pushed to the perimeter of the room and were full of a vast variety of foods. This left the centre of the room free to act as a dance floor later in the evening. Lily felt a tint of regret that she wouldn't be able to attend the frivolities. Her gaze moved upwards and thousands of enchanted chocolate bats circled the rafters, Lily gawked at them and then examined the other decorations. Sugar string cobwebs hung from every surface with edible spiders crawling around them. The feast was not only on the tables, the decorations were the feast! Lily had to admit that it was an impressive bit of magic however the thought of eating them made her skin crawl.

Lily then studied the students already at the feast and mused that the new set up was meant to promote inter-house relationships. The Gryffindors, Ravenclaws and Hufflepuffs were playing along however the Slytherin house stood alone in one corner of the room. That was just typical of them to disregard the whole purpose of the setup! Lily caught sight of Duanne, she would have smiled at him if she could have caught his attention but he was currently having a intense discussion with Malfoy the subject of which Lily couldn't fathom a guess at. Malfoy looked as painfully pristine as ever, his robes showed no evidence of wear. His overly long platinum hair was scraped back of his annoyed looking pale face. Duanne looked slightly more rugged, his hair messy as if he'd just stepped off his broom, the sleeves of his robes rolled up to his elbow. Lily stared at him dreamily.

"Hey Lily, over here!" Delia chirped waving wildly at her. It took Lily a few seconds to register that she was being hollered. It took a few further seconds to spot Delia from the crowd and a several seconds on top of that to notice that Hugo had already worked his way to her side. Adrenaline surged through her body as her eyes narrowed in on Delia's overexcited form. Ignoring her instincts, Lily took a deep breath and reminded herself that Delia was a friend and not a threat that needed eliminating. Plus there had been no actual confirmation that the two were anything other than friends.

Considerably calmer Lily headed towards her family and friends who had congregated at the side of the hall opposite the group of Slytherins. "I see you haven't got expelled yet Lils,"Al told her in greeting and then took a huge bite out of his Pumpkin pasty. Hugo was touching into the feast as well "I'm impressed." he admitted and Lily moved behind him and squeezed his shoulders causing him to shudder "Oh, ye of little faith." Lily sighed grinning, "I guess you'll be loosing that bet after all!"

Hugo nearly choked on his food and spluttered for a few seconds and Albus burst out laughing. Delia gave him a look of disgust and picked up a plate and tucked into the buffet. He look mildly embarrassed as his saphire eyes followed Delia and then returned to Lily, "The school year is not over yet! There is still plenty of time for you to slip."

"Pur-lease" Lily scoffed turning her back on her cousin. "If I can last two months I think I can survive to the rest of the year."

Lily eyed the cuisine hungrily, placed a little bit of everything vegetarian on her plate and slipped in the space between Jess and Delia. The four girls stood in a square and picked at their food. Hugo had been scared off by the arrival of Lily and had joined Rose and Albus. A fact that had Lily grinning.

"What are you smiling at?" Jess asked shaking Lily back into reality.

Lily feigned innocence convincingly. "Just thinking of all the torturous stuff I wish we could do to Malfoy, that's all." That had Jess and Delia grinning and their eyes glazing over slightly as they did exactly that. Maggie on the other hand looked positively appalled as she stared over Lily's shoulder. Lily gazed uncertainly at her.

"What does my brother think he's doing?" Maggie said looking aghast.

"What," Lily asked a little panicked. She half suspected that Malfoy and Duanne's discussion had turned more physical. She suddenly felt concerned for Duanne's welfare. Turning in a half circle Lily's fears relaxed when she confirmed that Duanne was in no immediate danger. He seemed in excellent health as he swaggered across the room. His fellow Slytherins did look as if they wanted to do something drastic though, like murder him. She pondered over their intent.

"Oh!" Lily gasped and realisation hit her. Duanne was currently heading her way and that was why the rest of the house was looking so murderous. Lily felt the tension rise in the room but she did her best to ignore it. There was no way that she was going to look behind her to gage their reactions and there was no way that this was going to go unnoticed by her brothers. Lily kept her gaze on Duanne hoping to delay the inevitable and the feeling of dread tried to overwhelm her.

"Hi Lily, Magda" Duanne said mischievously leaning in to place a kiss on both girl's cheeks. Lily flushed becomingly and all of a sudden her apprehension disappeared. Her thoughts of her family and peers completely vanished until there was only her and him. She probably wouldn't have been able to tell him her name if he asked. His eyes seemed to sparkle when he noted her reaction.

Lily searched for a little coherence in her thoughts and found it. "You feeling as adventurous today as well Duanne?" she grinned flirtatiously running her fingers along the lean muscles of his exposed forearms. Maggie made a gagging sound but it didn't register in Lily's cloudy thoughts.

"Yeah, you've given me the bug." he winked and leaned even closer towards her. He scooped her hair away from her shoulder and her skin tingled when the tips of his fingers brushed against her neck. He was so warm. Lily could feel the heat rise to her face as he made his advance. His lips were suddenly so close to the lobe of her ear that a delicate shudder spread through her body when he whispered, "Can you do me a favour?"

Lily's mind had gone blank again due to his close proximity. She repeated the question in her head _Can you do me a favour? _It was like part of her brain had just been switched on. She wanted to say yes, she really, really wanted to unconditionally accept but she couldn't. What if he asked something of her that she couldn't agree to? She couldn't and wouldn't let him have that much power over her. "Depends." She finally gasped her voice shaking slightly.

"Can you be nice Malfoy tonight? I need him in a good mood."

Lily's stomach plummeted and she groaned. He couldn't have asked for something easy, that was just too much to ask for. He might as well have asked for the moon. Being civil to him was one thing, it was barely doable. But to actually be nice to him was a completely different kettle of fish. She answered as honestly as possible. "I'll try, since it's you that's doing the asking. Could you tell me why?" If she had to do the impossible he could at least tell her why.

"What do you think you're doing?" An all too familiar voice demanded harshly. Lily groaned inwardly as her brother stepped forward.

Duanne's striking features distorted into a typical Slytherin sneer and Lily was reminded that he wasn't the typical kind of male she was used to dealing with. "Chill Potter, I just want a word with my sister."

Maggie looked suddenly surprised "Really? You do?"

"Yes Magda." Duanne sighed using his nickname for her and stared meaningfully at her. She wasn't cottoning on and stared blankly at him. He placed his palm on his sister's back and directing her away from the group.

"Oh ok, one sec" Maggie muttered to Lily and the rest having not completely recovered from the surprise she felt from her brother's announcement. The tension in the room seemed to disparate. The school body obviously agreed that Maggie was one Gryffindor the Slytherin was allowed to approach without causing a cause of concern.

Lily watch them leave wishing that it was her he was steering away and not Maggie. She didn't want to deal with her brother and she had more important thing on her mind, like what was the reason behind Duanne dragging Maggie away, did it have something to do with her? And if not, why? The world didn't revolve around her although she did like to believe it sometimes.

Her eyes hunted for anything to enlighten her. A brief thought entered her mind that this could have had something to do with Duanne's earlier argument with Malfoy. Her sought out Malfoy and he was standing stoic with the rest of his goons. That was no help whatsoever, _inconsiderate, good-for-nothing-prick_!

As her gaze shifted again towards the Zabini siblings a dark figure in the foreground caught her attention. She blinked consecutively to focus her vision. Albus was looking at her in a mixture of horror and disbelief. "Are you kidding me Lils?" he roared his eyes shifting furiously between Lily and Duanne.

Lily shrunk back guiltily but intentionally gave and exaggerated roll of her eyes. She allowed her head to fall back so her gaze lifted towards the enchanted ceiling and away from her brother. The stars twinkled against a cloudless sky. She tried to loose herself in the beauty of it but she could still feel the tension radiating from her brother. It was impossible to ignore. She sighed and held her hand against her forehead rubbing it slightly before running her fingers through her hair. Slowly she looked her brother in the eye. "There's nothing for you to worry about." she said as a statement of fact.

That didn't seem to sate him. He still looked highly aggravated and he crossed his arms in front of him. "Good because I'm not having you pulling the charm on the snakes." He snapped.

One of Lily's crimson arched brows shot up and she shifted the majority of her weight onto one foot. She regarded her brother with an air of trepidation although she originally aimed at condescension and failed. "Why? Because you can't bully them or chase them off easily?"

"Just don't go there." he gritted warningly through clenched teeth. "Mum and Dad will kill you, so would Uncle Ron."

Lily paled at the reminder. Her family did have their prejudices against the Slytherin house although some of them tried to hide it more than others. Lily didn't think for one minute that any of them would actually kill her but Ron would probably try to convince her parents to put her on house arrest when they got home. "Meh, Uncle Bill and George would stop them! They love me too much to see me hurt." Lily tried to make her tone nonchalant.

"I wouldn't count on it."

"Look I'm not planning on marrying him so just chill." Lily said, she knew her brother was just trying to look of for her but she didn't want to hear it. She needed room to breathe so she started walking away from him.

"Where you going?" he demanded mirroring each step she took.

"Detention" Lily announced in aggravation and quickened her pace.

"Detention? but you have half an hour? What about the feast?" he called after her after finally pausing in the entrance hall.

"I'm not hungry" Lily bit back at him and stomped up a set of stairs to get away from him. She didn't know where she was going to go until she was needed in the library but she knew she wasn't going to be anywhere near her brother. She gave full control to her feet and trudged through the empty halls of Hogwarts.

**I'd really like to know what you guys think of this, I'm open to suggestions of how to improve each chapter.**


	16. C16: Detention Again

**Date: 02/10/09 I wasn't happy with the way I way portraying some of my characters or the pace of the story so I've decided to revamp it. I wanted to develop the family bond between the Weasleys and Potters and explain a lot of their actions more. If you've read this before I really hope you take the time to read the changes because I've made a lot of them. I hope you like the changes. Intended to be read by more mature teens and above because of later chapters.**

**Thank you: kt potter93, angelsea and Violet Strawberri for the reviews**

Chapter 16: Detention Again

Lily arrived at the library with only a minute to spare before her detention started. Her little walk around the castle without interruptions had had a therapeutic effect on her. She was considerably calmer and ready and willing to attempt to be nice to Malfoy. Thinking about it she had no idea what attempting to be nice to him entailed, but she was willing to try. It couldn't be too difficult, could it?

Madame Swats eyed her suspiciously over the book she was reading. Her beady eyes stared pointedly at the clock and her hand waved her in. Lily did as directed and moved between row upon row of bookcases as she headed for the Astronomy section. Malfoy and herself had already spent almost two months worth of detentions in the library and were still working through the 'A' section of the library. It was dreadful. She needed to find a way to speed things along.

Lily passed several students who sat in small groups on her way. One group consisted of her brother Albus, Amelia and two other sixth year Gryffindors Sylvia Coote and Joseph Hooper. She ignored them and noticed there was an empty space for a fifthth who Lily assumed to be for Rose. Rose spent a lot of time in the library! Uncle Ron always teased her that she was so much like her mother, especially since she had the habit of picking out the thickest and most boring academic books for bedtime reading. She was probably looking for one somewhere in the library right now.

Lily turned the corner at the end of the aisle and her eyes met a scene she had not been expecting. Malfoy sat at a small table and judging by the large pile of books he was looking through, he had already made a start on their detention. That wasn't unusual. He, like Lily, was eager to complete their task as soon as possible. What surprised Lily was that he wasn't alone. He was deep in conversation with the girl sat next to him.

They spoke rapidly and quietly so Lily couldn't make out what they were saying. What was obvious though, was that the girl was not the usual trash that hung around him like a swarm of flies to dragon dung. For one, she wasn't trash at all, two, she lacked pureblood status, three, she wasn't a Slytherin and four (Lily could think of many more reasons but these were the most relevant) the girl was a Weasley!

Rose Weasley was actually sitting talking to Malfoy! Lily couldn't believe her eyes. She rubbed them roughly pushing her eyes deeper in their sockets. She opened them again and was greeted with semi-darkness. She blinked until her vision returned, hoping that the scene that greeted her would be different. Malfoy had no right to talk to Rose as if they were _friends. _

The dark splotches intruding Lily's vision cleared. Rose and Malfoy were still sat at the table in front of her. Their heads bowed but their expressions looked anything but civil. Lily felt herself relax as she continued to watch them. Rose raised her hand as if to slap him but thought better of it and let it fall into her lap.

The change wasn't as drastic as Lily had hoped for but it was better than the impression they had first given her. "Hey Rose, what are you doing here?" Lily asked, her voice acting as a knife slicing through the tension emanating off the pair of them.

A set of mocha and silver-grey eyes turned on Lily. The silver-grey ones narrowed but the mocha brown one's widened and Rose's expression was one of shocked surprise. She paled making her freckles more prominent. "Oh Lily, is that you?" Rose asked shakily as she observed Lily's guarded stance.

Lily thought Rose's behaviour a little odd. She flung her arms out in front of her in a shrug before folding them across her chest. That must have been the dumbest thing Rose had ever said and _she_ was supposed to be the smart one of the family. Comments like that and hanging around Malfoy were _so_ anti-smart. Aunt Hermione would be appalled."Yes I was me the last time I checked."

Rose shot to her feet looking flustered and she knocked the chair over in the process. She cringed and hastily picked up the chair and slid it into place. "I was just asking Scorpius about the potions assignment," Rose explained brushing her mahogany curls off her pale face. At Lily's sceptical gazed Rose started patting her robes with open palms. "Well anyways, I have a note for you."

"You do?" Lily asked a little surprise. She stepped forwards as Rose moved around the table towards Lily.

Rose smiled sheepishly and rummaged through her robes. After trying several pockets and finding them lacking what she searched for, she finally produced a neatly folded piece of parchment from her inner pocket. She smiled triumphantly and handed it to Lily. "It's from Maggie." she told her and Lily snatched the tiny peace of parchment and muttered her thanks. She unfolded the note and recognised Maggie's stylist script. It read:

_Lily,_

_Meet me outside the library after your detention. _

_There's something I need to tell you before we go back to the common room._

_Maggie_

_-x- _

Lily was a little confused. She pondered about what Maggie had to say to her and why she couldn't say it in the Gryffindor tower. Hope sparkled deep within her when her thoughts went back to the secretive conversation between Maggie and Duanne at dinner. Maybe Maggie had a message from Duanne, something that she couldn't tell her in the common room in fear that either of Lily's brothers would overhear. Lily folded up the note and slipped it into her own pocket. Looking up she discovered that Rose was still there hovering on the spot. "Can you tell her ok?" She asked since she wouldn't be able to get the message to Maggie.

Rose sighed considering Lily's request as if it was more than a simple yes or no answer, "I'll send the message back with Al, he'll be going back to the tower before me. I need to stay and study tonight." At that Rose hurried away from them and went to join her study group.

Lily stared at Malfoy with raised eyebrows and he shrugged innocently. There was no way she was going to ask Malfoy what he was doing with Rose. He would probably make up some atrocious lie in order to rile Lily. "Right, well, let's get to work." Lily announced and took Rose's vacant seat.

"What no snide comments?" Malfoy asked surprised and handed a book to Lily that needed ink blots removed from its pages.

Lily sent him the sweetest smile she could bear to muster without her gag reflect kicking in. He blanched and Lily knew that she'd just thrown him off balance. She loved having that effect on people and she sometimes used it to her advantage, she knew she shouldn't but she just couldn't resist. This was the first time she'd tested her ability on Malfoy and he wasn't as immune as he'd like to make her think. Lily could have laughed, this revelation could be extremely useful. "I just want to get this over with quickly" she told him and flashed him another dazzling smile.

He looked slightly dazed. Lily couldn't prevent her lips from curling into a smile. She looked down at the book, her smirk fading and dabbed the potion on the defaced pages. Scorpius didn't move for several moments but Lily knew when he did. He waved his wand recreating a page out of the book he was repairing and mumbled "Me too" under his breath.

"So you can party all night?" Lily asked trying to be conversational thinking of Duanne's request. She set the newly restored book to one side and turned to Malfoy. He was gazing at her strangely and her back stiffened in anticipation of something she wasn't quite sure of. He leant towards her leaning heavily on his elbows. "Something like that."

He was smiling and it was Lily's turn to be thrown off balance. Malfoy never smiled, not like that at least. It made him appear angelic and that was not the look the eighteen year old ever aimed for. His eyes gleamed with a blue tint and not the icy blue of an ocean storm but the blue of a summer's sky that warmed you. It was too alien and it had a peculiar effect on her. Something that she couldn't put into words. Something she didn't want to acknowledge.

Lily bristled, her defences shooting up around her. Trying to be nice to him was really messing with her. She shot to her feet getting away from him and the uncomfortable feelings he was making her experience. She saw the smirk on his face and knew that he'd done it intentionally. She wanted to curse him, he'd out smarted her. She made a note not to smile at him again like that lest he turn his deadly overpowering smile on her again. "The time is not going to go any faster you know. Nine o'clock comes when nine o'clock comes." She snapped her voice dripping with sarcasm.

"Whatever." Malfoy responded remaining calm. He regarded Lily with mild amusement and then shuffled his chair away from hers. Lily supposed he was being considerate but then she remembered consideration wasn't a word in his vocabulary. Still, she wasn't complaining and she sat back down.

***

They managed to work for an hour straight before Lily got bored and let her mind wonder. She thought back to the morning and to the food fight she had with her brothers. She grinned broadly when she remembered the cause of that altercation. The days events had pushed her gift from her Uncle George and cousin Freddie out of her thoughts. She reached into her robes and pulled out the box of sweets. She felt Malfoy watch her curiously.

She placed the box on the table and flipped open the lid. Inside was an assortment of chocolates and sweets. Lily suddenly had an idea of what she could do to be nice to Malfoy without having it backfire on her. "Want a chocolate?" she asked sliding the box across the table towards Scorpius.

"Excuse me?" Malfoy gawked at her as if she'd just spoken a dead language.

Lily picked up the box and shook it in the air inches away from his stunned face. "Do-You-Want-A-Chocolate?" she said again taking the effort to emphasise every word.

"Why?" he asked aghast.

Lily shrugged as if the reason meant nothing to her. "Well it is your birthday." she stated condescendingly, well there was only so much niceness she put up with!

He continued to eye her as if she'd had a personality transplant. "I know that but…" his gaze slipped to the box and he eyed them cautiously.

Lily laughed. He was hilarious, he seriously thought that her act of kindness was an attempt to do something way more sinister. "I promise you it's not poisoned. Although they are some new prototypes from my Uncle's shop and since they are not for general sale yet, some of them may be a bit unpredictable, especially if they are Freddie's design" Lily explained as to wriggle free of any blame if something was to go awry. "Now, do you want one?" she shoved the box forwards and he leant backwards to avoid it colliding with his nose.

"I suppose," He gingerly picked a ruby coloured boiled sweet and examined it, "What do these do?"

Lily didn't know "Er, let me check." She took back the box and routed through it. Tucked to one side was an itinerary list. She glanced back and the sweet and then to the list, "It's a Fantasy Blast." Lily read, "It's like the Patented Daydream Charms only different. It's also shorter, it lasts for only five minutes. That way you have less chance of being caught in class and you apparently you have full control of it and actually feel everything. It's like you're really living through it." Lily finished, impressed.

As Lily worked through the description Malfoy's platinum brows gradually rose higher and higher until his expression was one of disbelief. He obviously didn't believe Lily wasn't trying to trick him. "You can't expect me to believe that." he scoffed.

Lily rolled her eyes. It was obvious that trying to be nice to him wasn't having the desired effect Duanne had hoped for. Malfoy was growing more sceptical and confused as the detention went on. To prove that Lily wasn't lying she picked out a similar sweet and sucked on it. For five minutes Lily's eyes went blank in a dreamlike state and an amused smile formed on her lips as she threw herself completely into the fantasy.

"What did you see?" Malfoy asked when Lily came around.

Lily stretched her limbs before answering. She felt oddly stiff."You" she grinned.

He looked surprised and a little pleased with himself at the same time. "You have fantasies about me?"

Lily plucked another sweet out of the box and slipped it into her mouth without checking what it did. She stared pointedly at Malfoy, he was smirking and held himself in a way that was all high and mighty.

"You can wipe that smirk off your face, it ended with you hurt." She informed him tartly and chewed on the blueberry flavoured gum. He slapped his hand to his mouth and sniggered, that annoyed Lily. "You find that funny?"

"No," he grinned and moved his hand away from his face, "You're turning blue, no wait," his eyes widened with shock, "Potter where'd you go?" His voice was almost a growl and his guard was up.

"I'm still here, why? You gone blind boy?" Lily snapped. She could see herself perfectly fine. She glared at him wondering what trick he was playing on her now.

"What the hell are these?" Lily watched as he snatched the box off the table and read through the list provided, "Chameleon Cluster? Oh right that explains it." he stated rolling his cold grey eyes.

"What?" Lily snipped, craning her neck to try and peer at the list.

"You're camouflaged. You have disappeared into the background." He looked impressed and amused at the same time. Lily thought that he would have probably guarded his emotions a little better if he could actually see her. As they put it: out of sight, out of mind. He had probably already forgotten that she was their.

"Really?" she inquired after a moments silence. His head snapped in the direction of her voice. She suppressed a chuckle, he had defiantly forgotten she was there.

"Let's hope you stay that way. Then maybe we'll get some work done." he mused.

This had Lily grinning and it was a good thing he couldn't see her do so, "Do I distract you Malfoy?" she asked unable to keep the smile out of her voice.

He picked up on it. "Don't flatter yourself." he scoffed crossing his arms, "I don't get distracted by children."

That hit a nerve, he always seemed to do that. She was fifteen for Merlin's sake, she was going to be sixteen in a matter of fifteen weeks, that wasn't that long at all. And to top it off, she was more developed than most the girls in her year and the year above. That was the Weasley gene pool for you! "Children don't have boobs like mine." She snapped making rude hand gestures at him knowing that he couldn't see her.

Malfoy sneered and the space where Lily sat "I've never noticed."

Lily wrapped her arms over her breasts and glowered at him. "Good, you weren't meant to." she responded, her voice as cold as ice. She had no idea why that comment made her feel the way she did. She should have been glad that he didn't look at her in that way.

Malfoy had the audacity to laugh which had Lily wanting to send a hex his way. "Really? Then why'd you look so annoyed?"

"I'm not annoyed because of you," she retorted and then his comment sunk in. "Hey, wait, you can see me?" She accused as disappointment flushed over her.

"I'm afraid so." He gazed at her through critical eyes as he examined the length of her. This made Lily's anger rise and it was difficult to keep it under control. "Damn, that didn't last nearly long enough. I better ask Uncle George to make them stronger." She said out loud to herself as an attempt to distract herself from her rage. She scribbled a quick note to herself on a spare piece of parchment as a reminder.

"Why you planning on doing some sneaking?" Malfoy goaded.

She couldn't ignore him and took the bait. He was making it impossible. "Why would make you think that?" she gritted , all attempts of pleasantries forgotten.

"You Potter's are always sneaking." he said cruelly.

Lily reached into her robes and gabbed for her wand instinctively as the rage bubbled inside her. She didn't mean to do what she did next. It was just that all the rage that had been bubbling away under the surface exploded and it wasn't entirely Malfoy's fault. Her grievances with Delia, Hugo, her brother Albus and Malfoy just got rolled into one and she took it out on him. One second he was sat sneering at her and the next he'd shrunk to less than a tenth his size and had sprouted long snowy white ears the colour of his hair and a little cotton tail.

Panic surged through her. "CRAP!" Lily cursed as she ran to the spot where Malfoy once sat and picked up the snowy white rabbit in his stead. It bucked it's legs and tried to wriggle free from her grasp. She held the rabbit across he chest like she would Padfoot and stroked it until it calmed. "I'm so sorry Malfoy I swear I didn't mean to do that." she crooned soothingly as the rabbit version of Malfoy nibbled at her shirt collar. She was in so much trouble, damn her hot temper. "please don't kill me when I fix this." Lily begged to the rabbit when she imagined all the things he would do to her because of this. It wasn't going to be pretty especially since she had no idea how to change him back. She thought about going to the headmaster but her head rebuked that idea "Ergh, Croston is going to fry my ass." she groaned. She needed someone who was book-smart and actually listened during lessons to help her. She could think of only one person for the job and that person conveniently happened to be in the library.

Lily made sure she had a secure hold on the rabbit and raced down the aisle until she reached the table she'd seen her brother at earlier with his friends. They weren't there but Rose was. Lily thanked Merlin for the fact that her cousin almost lived in the library. "Rose! Rose I need your help." she whispered urgently. The last thing she needed was for Madame Swats to come over and complain that she was making too much noise.

Rose looked up from her notes "What is it?" she asked and then her eyes zoomed in on the rabbit "Why have you got a rabbit?" Lily didn't have to answer, Rose took one look at Lily's hysterical expression and it all seemed to click in place. "Lily is that Scorpius?" she asked uncertainly as if she hoped her assumptions were incorrect. Damn, the girl was smart!

Lily groaned and had to hold the rabbit closer to her as he made another attempt to wriggle free from her hold. "Yes it's Malfoy. I swear it was an accident. You need to fix this, please tell me you can fix this." Lily cried beseechingly.

Rose suddenly grinned mischievously, the Weasley genes making an appearance. "I can, but I'm not hanging around once he's rectified." she informed her.

Lily looked mortified, "Oh come on! Where's the family support?" she complained but Rose only laughed.

"You turned him into a rabbit Lils." Rose stated matter-of-factly with a look on her face that clearly stated that she needed to face the consequences of her actions. That was the Granger genes becoming more dominant again.

Lily winced. She didn't want to be within a mile of Malfoy when he was eventually put right. He was going to murder her in the most painful way possible that only a Slytherin could guess at. She glanced down at the rabbit and watched his nose twitch as it bit through her uniform. "You have to admit he does make a cute bunny," Lily stated "I don't suppose…No" she was not going to even entertain that thought. Although it would be so much easier if he just remained as he was. She lowered him to the floor and cast a freezing charm on him so he couldn't escape, "Just fix him." She told her cousin before she could change her mind.

Rose packed up her things to aid in a quick getaway and brought out her wand. With a complex flick and an incantation the rabbit's body started to stretch as the freezing charm wore off. Rose made a run for it.

Lily waited and watched as the now fully formed Malfoy rose off the floor. She couldn't look him in the eye, he was pure menace. "I'm sorry, I'm-" A simple shake of his head cut her off. There was no way that he was going to accept an apology. She accepted it and braced herself for what was to come "Ok do your worst, get it over and done with."

Lily was overcome by the weirdest sensation. She felt that she was moving at high velocity and standing still at the same time. Then her thoughts eluded her and was replaced by something more primitive.

She was stiff so she arched her back and flexed her claws. Something grabbed hold of her and held her off the ground. She didn't like it so she tried to scratch the beast that held her. This was not how it was supposed to be. She heard a noise coming from the beast but couldn't make any sense of it. A cry escaped her mouth, she wanted to get down but the beast was cruel and held her. She cried again. It was high and shrill.

This time the beast lowered her. With her paws on solid ground she circled on the spot and lowered herself so she curled into a comfortable position. She listened to the beast. It hadn't left her, in fact it brushed it's version of a paw along her fur repeatedly. That felt nice and her throat rattled at the pleasure that action caused.

Then the action ceased and she lifted her head and stared at it wondering why it had stopped. The beast made another sound and was pointing something at her. Her fur bristled and she sensed danger. Before she could react she felt that bizarre sensation once again and found herself curled in the foetal position against the cold stone floor.

She scrambled to her feet as her mind made quick work on catching up on what had just happened. He had just transfigured her into a cat and back again. "Malfoy I..." she tried to apologise but he still looked majorly hacked off, his bout of vengeance having not altered his sour mood.

"Save it." he snapped turning away from her. "Just get to work and maybe we'll be done before the end of this year. I don't want to have to carry on with detentions when I'm taking my NEWTs" _So much for keeping him in a good mood, _Lily thought to herself. Duanne was not going to be pleased. She hoped that the reasons for softening him up hadn't been too important. However she was resolved try to apologise again before their detention was over for the night and returned to their workstation.

***

She was so bored and disappointed in herself for not being able to do what Duanne had asked of her. She dipped her fingers back into the box and brought out a milk chocolate sweet twisted with white chocolate. She recognised it as a Tornado Twister but couldn't recall what it did. She took one look at Malfoy's unapproachable frame and slipped the chocolate into her mouth. It was delicious and she savoured the taste as the creamy substance melted and slipped down her throat.

All of a suddenly everything seemed to be frozen in freeze-frame. Malfoy sat immobilised in place and Lily ran over to him and poked him in the side of the head. He made no reaction. Confused Lily looked around. The whole library was like this. She noticed a fly was frozen in mid air and after staring at it for some time she saw that it's tiny wings were moving extremely slowly. Lily's eyes widened when she came to the only logical explanation. She was moving at supper speed! This was by far her Uncle's most useful invention. She turned her attention to the task at hand and grabbed a book off the shelf and flicked through it. The action needed no effort what so ever. She placed the book back on the shelf and checked with the booklist. With this chocolate they could work through their task at record time! It wasn't really cheating!

Lily managed to work through the rest of the 'A' and 'B' section of the library before the effects of the sweet began to wear off. It was then that the trouble started. Her head began to pound painfully and the room looked as if it was spinning as she was jerked into normal speed. However, that was nothing compared to the pain in her stomach. It felt as if it had been ripped inside out.

"What the hell was that? What's wrong with you?" Malfoy asked confused but remaining on his seat when Lily collapsed to her knees groaning.

"A Tornado Twister and motion sickness." Lily replied to both questions simultaneously in one breath. She clutched her tender stomach and took deep breaths of air to help the nausea pass. Although her body had not felt as if she had been travelling at supper speed whist under the effects of the chocolate. She sure felt as if she'd been strapped to a roundabout as it circled faster and faster out of control. Her head still felt awful and the room wouldn't stop spinning.

Malfoy must have took pity on her because he conjured a glass jar from thin air, cast the water spell to fill it and handed it to Lily. She took it gladly and gulped the water. The chocolate must have done crazy things to her head because she was hallucinating. There was no way that Malfoy was kneeling besides her looking concerned. She wrapped her arms around her calves and let her head drop so it rested between her knees and waited for the side effects to lessen.

"What did it do?" Malfoy asked quietly after a few minutes of silence. Lily raised her head for a few seconds and saw that he sat on a chair by the table. He seemed only curious and there was no traces of concern in his voice. It had definitely been a hallucination, "You just disappeared like with the Chameleon Candy but then the wind came and it was like that for the last five minutes" he explained.

She smiled faintly into her knees. The nausea had passed but she still didn't think she could get up. She hated feeling vulnerable, especially with Malfoy being so close. "That was me. The chocolate seemed to stop time, well slow it down anyway. Nothing seemed to use up much effort so I finished this section and moved on to the bibliographies and the likes, I was going to start on the 'C' section but it started to wear off and then I started to feel like crap. I don't think I could do that on a regular basis."

"You look green, and I think that may have counted as cheating" Malfoy stated as Lily crawled to her feet using the table as support "I don't think I'll try that one until your uncle has perfected it."

Lily wrinkled up her nose. _She_ wasn't going to try that again until her Uncle sorted out the side effects. She was a little annoyed with her uncle for not testing it out on more people before she sent it to her to try. She felt aggrieved but at least she'd done several months work in five minutes. Lily was impressed that she hadn't needed sleep or food whilst she'd been working. Despite feeling nauseous she self as if she was full of energy.

Lily slumped into the chair next to Malfoy as the lingering effects of the Tornado Twister finally wore off. She'd done enough work for the afternoon and she planned to spend the last twenty minutes relaxing while Malfoy did some work. She picked up the glass jar which Malfoy had conjured, dried it and emptied half a selection of the Weasley Wizard Wheezes into it. To Malfoy's surprise she shoved the glass on the table in front of him saying "Here Malfoy, An eighteenth birthday gift from me."

He smiled and accepted the gift. It looked like Lily didn't need to apologise at all. The fact that they'd got a lot more work done than expected and the little gift had Malfoy out of his cantankerous mood. She hoped she had made up for the fact she accidentally turned him into a rabbit then maybe she'd done what she'd set out to do.

**I'd really like to know what you guys think of this, I'm open to suggestions of how to improve each chapter.**


	17. C17: Snake Pit

**Date: 02/10/09 I wasn't happy with the way I way portraying some of my characters or the pace of the story so I've decided to revamp it. I wanted to develop the family bond between the Weasleys and Potters and explain a lot of their actions more. If you've read this before I really hope you take the time to read the changes because I've made a lot of them. I hope you like the changes. Intended to be read by more mature teens and above because of later chapters.**

**Thank you: kt potter93, kana117 mids-all-the-way and Violet Strawberri for the reviews**

Chapter 17: Snake Pit

Malfoy exited the library as soon as the clock struck nine. Lily on the other hand, hung back a few moments to give the other students a chance to leave before her. She didn't want anyone to see that she was meeting Maggie after hours. She was being cautious on the off chance that Maggie particularly didn't want the news to travel back to her brother. He had spies everywhere, she even suspected that some of the portraits reported back to him but they couldn't be easily avoided. She had no idea what Maggie wanted to tell her but she had clearly stated that she didn't want Lily going back to the common room.

Lily found Maggie where she'd said in her note, just outside the library. She was leaning against a stone statue of a sleeping lion. Lily stopped to question her, "Hey Maggie, why did you want to meet me here now?" Maggie shot a cautious look towards the library door where Madame Swats stood watching them. Under the suspicious gaze of Madame Swats Maggie didn't respond straight away. Instead, she grabbed hold of Lily's arm and led her down a corridor that was one of many leading back to their dorms. Once the librarian was out of sight Maggie dragged Lily into and empty classroom.

Closing the door quietly, Maggie retrieved a small bundle she'd hidden inside her robes. She handed the bundle to Lily. "Just put these on quickly so we can go." She ordered and then went to stand lookout. The bundle turned out to be Lily's favourite Mediterranean blue tulip dress and an assortment of accessories; a waist hugger belt, a gold dragon pendent necklace, gold bangles, a pair of hooped earrings and her blue jimmy choo's. Lily puzzled over the items, the Halloween dance would have ended by now and the clothes were too dressy for every day use but she swapped them for her white shirt and red skinny jeans without complaint. "Go where?" Lily finally asked as she finished putting on her pair of gold hooped earrings.

"Here I'll take your robes." Maggie told her and snatched Lily's clothes and stuffed them in an empty cupboard. She was still avoiding answering. Maggie disrobed herself and Lily saw that she wore a blood red, skin tight, halter neck dress. They were off to a party, that was certain. The Gryffindors were probably continuing the party back in the Gryffindor tower but that didn't explain the secrecy. It would have been easy to change in the girls dormitory once they got back. Lily watched Maggie throw her own robe into the cupboard. She then opened the classroom door enough so that she could stick her head out and look down both ends of the corridor.

Finding it free of any staff, students or ghosts, Maggie directed Lily down a labyrinth of corridors quietly since the sound of their heels meeting the floor ricocheted off the stone surfaces. Lily had no idea where they were going only that they were no longer heading in the direction of the Gryffindor common room. She hated being left in the dark, especially when the lights in the corridors suddenly dimmed so that they were plunged into literal darkness. "Lumos" Lily whispered and a beam of light shone out of the tip of her wand. She turned to Maggie "So where are we going and what did you want to say to me?" she questioned again, her voice a little more than a whisper.

"Shh do you want us to get caught?" Maggie hissed and examined their surroundings. It was cold and damp and Lily really didn't want to be there. She wanted to be by the warmth of the fire in the Gryffindor tower. She lowered her voice into a whisper. She wouldn't be making such a fuss if her friend would stop being evasive and answer her questions. "Where are we-"

Maggie slammed her hand against Lily's mouth and extinguished Lily's wand plunging them into darkness once again. Lily glared at her through the darkness and was about to bite down on the hand that prevented her speech but she heard something and froze.

Footsteps echoed coming from the end of the corridor. It was probably the caretaker making his rounds. They were going to get in so much trouble when he caught them. Neither of them had a valid excuse to be in this part of the castle. Both girls tensed hoping that they would pass down a different passageway. They held their breaths as the footsteps grew louder.

In the distance a dim light could be seen being emitted from someone else's wand. As the footsteps continued the face of the wand's owner slowly came into view. For a split second Lily thought that Maggie had found a way to astral project herself so that she was in two places at once. Suddenly she felt Maggie relax "It's ok, it's only Margarita." she said in a hushed voice.

"Margarita? Why? Why am I dressed like this?" Lily demanded growing more and more suspicious with the arrival of the Slytherin who in turn was dressed in an emerald green party gown. There was only once place that Lily could think of where they would need Margarita to lead them and that didn't sit well with Lily at all. _They would be led to their deaths like lambs to the slaughter _Lily thought overdramatically.

"We're going to a party and Margarita is going to take us there." Maggie snapped. It was clear that she was getting annoyed with Lily's questions, but what did she expect? For Lily to come quietly without explanation? Well Lily had her explanation. They were going to a party with Margarita and surely that only confirmed her suspicions. There really was only one place that they could be going and lily picked up on the fact that Maggie had missed out saying if they'd been invited. Lily assumed not.

"Hi! We're off to the Slytherin's common room aren't we?" Lily concluded with a groan and waited for her fears to be confirmed. The twins had already started walking down the corridor but Lily's feet refused to move. Maggie must have sensed that she wasn't following them because she suddenly spun on her heel and stalked back towards Lily. She grabbed her wrist tightly and pulled Lily along as she moved back towards her sister. Lily tried to resist but the taller girl overpowered her. "Quit your whining and grow a pair." Maggie hissed.

Lily stomped reluctantly with the others not caring about the noise she made. In her book meeting the angry caretaker after hours would have lesser consequences than gate crashing the Slytherin's party. "I don't want to grow a pair thank you very much." Lily retorted indignantly which had the sisters sniggering. "I just don't think this is one of your best ideas."

Maggie finally stopped and Lily assumed that she'd finally managed to drum some sense into her best friend. Instead she turned to her calmly and simply explained "Not my idea."

Not her idea? That caught Lily's attention. If it wasn't Maggie's idea, then whose was it? Lily turned to Margarita and the expression on her face clearly stated that it wasn't her idea either for Maggie to bring her along. In fact Margarita looked as if she would have preferred it if Lily wasn't coming along. Lily decided to hold that thought for a later time. Her thoughts flicked back to dinner and Duanne's request to speak to his sister privately. It couldn't be, could it? Because that would shine a different light on things "Duanne's idea?" Lily asked trying to keep her voice neutral.

"Yes flower, Duanne's" Maggie chuckled and released her hold on Lily's wrist.

Lily rubbed her aching wrist absentmindedly, so they had received an invitation. An invitation from Duanne! That was probably why he wanted Malfoy to be in a good mood. Things started to slot into place. A smile formed on her lips. She suddenly felt much happier about the whole thing. "Then why didn't you say so" Lily sighed and continued walking in the direction they had been doing before Maggie had stopped. She heard the twins chuckling behind her and imagined them rolling their eyes in sync with each other.

"We're not far now." Margarita told them as they descended a flight of stairs.

Lily's pace slowed, she had something else to say before they went through with what they were planning. "Just one more question, does Malfoy know?" She asked to either twin. It was an important question since things would probably turn nasty if her wasn't. It didn't matter that Lily and Malfoy had been almost civil to each other during detention. That didn't mean that the hated each other any less. It was one thing to enter the common room if they were expected if not welcome, but quiet another to go in unannounced.

Margarita ignored Lily's question and Lily was once again wondering what her problem was. They'd always got along with each other when needed since they often sat with her during lessons with the Slytherins. Lily tried to ignore her and turned to Maggie who was watching her, "One would hope" she said simply with a slight shrug of her shoulders.

"One would hope." Lily repeated "Now why doesn't that reassure me?" she moaned.

"We're here!" Margarita announced as she paused by a baron damp stone wall. Her sister and Lily gazed at her expectantly and she muttered the password "Pure blood." Lily wrinkled her nose up in distaste. The password was so typically Slytherin, she supposed she should have expected it. Margarita saw her distaste and shrugged apologetically "I didn't choose it." Lily nodded, assuring her that she didn't harbour any ill feeling about her since for some reason she was suddenly being nice again. Suddenly there was a loud groaning sound of stone on stone and the previously concealed door became visible. It slid open allowing them access. The twins went first and with one fleeting look back down the corridor, Lily followed them into the snake pit.

The Slytherin common room was nothing like the Gryffindor one. It was long and rectangular with low ceilings and had an eerie feel to it. No wonder the Slytherins were as they were. The focal point of the room was an overly large ornate fireplace which seemed to be giving off little heat disproportionate to it's size. Lily made a compulsive shiver and wished Maggie had allowed her to wear her robes. The room was full of Slytherin's. Lily couldn't believe how many there actually were. They didn't seem that many in the Great Hall when next to the other houses however since she was one of only two Gryffindors in the entire snake pit, Lily felt her growing unease justified.

Several hostile faces turned her way, however there was one friendly face that stood out from the crowd. _And what a handsome face_ Lily mused as she followed his movements with her eyes. He was physically moving people out of the way as he journeyed towards them. "Hey, you're here" he said, clearly thrilled to see her. He hooked his arm around hers and guided her deeper into the enemy camp. Lily could hear Maggie talking to her sister as they followed behind them.

"So it would seem" was all that Lily could manage to say since she couldn't avoid noticing the animosity in people's faces as they passed them. She knew her nervousness could be heard in her voice and she didn't try to hide it. "You'll be ok here," he chuckled and gazed at her reassuringly. "They've promised a truce for tonight, you look beautiful by the way" he added appraisingly changing the subject as his gaze covered her. Her flush was immediate and she cursed herself for being so obvious. She bit her bottom lip and looked away from Duanne and back at the other Slytherins. Most of them had turned away but some of them still looked as if they would reach for their wands at any moment. Even with Duanne on her side they wouldn't be able to take them all if a duel broke loose. "They don't look like they have. Maybe I should go" Lily suggested uncertainly.

"Don't be a coward and have a drink. I thought you Griffindors were supposed to be brave" Someone sneered behind her. Lily tensed when she recognised Malfoy's voice. She glared at him with full fury blazing in her eyes. He didn't flinch. Instead he wrapped an arm around both Posie and Pandora who stood at either side of him, kissed them full on the mouth in turn and swaggered away from her. J_erk!_

Lily made a sound of disgust. "Can I curse him? I've done my bit." she asked Duanne and he chuckled unhooking his arm and lowering it to her waist with the effect of pulling her closer to him. He lowered his head to her ear. "You may want to remember where you are." The caress of his breath sent chills down her spine. She hoped it was just a coincidence because it wasn't at all pleasant.

"How could I forget. It's freezing, how do you stand it?" She complained rubbing her arms vigorously hoping that the friction would warm her. She was really, really regretting giving her robes to Maggie now.

"By having a drink," he replied and led her towards a table shoved to the side that was full of a variety of spirits. Lily had to admit, she preferred the selection at parties in her own house. The Slytherin's hadn't appeared to have asked the house elves for any confectionary items, it was all alcohol. Duanne poured a healthy portion of some golden liquid into an empty glass and offered it to Lily. "Firewhisky?"

Lily erred, she hadn't actually tried anything stronger than a Butterbeer before and she wasn't sure if she'd like it.

"Come on Potter, it's not a tough decision, unless you're chicken." Malfoy was back again, this time with Margarita and Maggie held close to his side. Lily stared pointedly at Maggie who had obviously had a few shots or had taken leave of her senses. She shrugged unashamedly and mouthed 'What? He's cute!' Lily couldn't see it. She then looked up at Duanne, he didn't seem the least bit bothered about his company and that surprised her. Her brothers would have gone mental if their friends had their arms around Lily in that way. Lily silently thanked the saints that her brother's wouldn't be able to see her with Duanne right now and turned her venomous gaze to Malfoy and met the challenge in his eyes.

"I hate you," she spat ungraciously, "But yes, I'll take the drink." Duanne looked pleased and handed her the drink. She raised the glass to her lips and took a small sip, it burned and it felt as if it had stripped the lining of her throat off. "Christ, it tastes of paint stripper" she coughed as the liquid choked her.

She heard them laugh and they must have looked to Maggie for an explanation because she suddenly got all defensive "Don't look at me, I have no idea what she's referring to." Lily swirled the golden liquid in the glass and too everyone's surprise she raised it up to her lips again and drained it dry. It wasn't that bad once you'd had the first taste of it.

Malfoy and Duanne looked rather impressed but Lily didn't care what the former thought. "Want another?" Duanne asked and held the bottle of fire whiskey in front of Lily.

Lily shrugged, "Might as well," and she held her glass out for him to fill it. They stood talking and Malfoy eventually wondered off leaving the Zabini siblings and Lily by the drinks table. Lily didn't touch that second glass, she held it in front of her to avoid people offering her more drinks.

At some point one of the Slytherin's had turned on the radio and several were dancing to the music. When Twisted Toadstool's latest song played Maggie grabbed hold of Lily shouting "I love this song Lils, we have to dance." and started to drag her away.

Lily had no objections. She loved to dance and they were her favourite band as well. If she had to compare it to a genre of muggle music she would have to say that old American style Hip hop was the closest to their sound. "Duty calls" Lily told Duanne and handed him her drink. He looked a little affronted but followed the pair of them as the slotted into an empty spot on the make-shift dance floor.

They then began to dance in a way that was entirely appropriate to the 'hip hop' music by muggle standards. As they twisted, turned and danced to the beat, their movements considerably limited due to their dress code, they failed to notice that a crowd had gathered as they watched the two Gryffindors with great interest. One member in the crown was none other than Maggie's sister. They both spotted her at the same time and had the same idea. "Come Margarita" they called together and dragged her towards them.

Margarita's expression that had previously been of intrigue quickly morphed into horror "What? I cant dance like that." she gasped.

"Sure you can, just roll your hips and jerk to the beat." Lily instructed and guided Margarita's movements with her hands. It wasn't long before Margarita joined in with a descent attempt of her own dance moves. The next song was also by Twisted Toadstools and it appeared as if someone had found a disc of their music and was now playing it instead of the radio.

The three girls continued to move to the music and as they danced the girls overheard a nearby conversation. "Is it wrong to be turned on my this?" the troll-like Thomas Warrington said aloud. They heard Duanne Zabini growl back at him "Very and if you keep looking at them like that I'll have to use and unforgivable curse on you. And you _know_ which one I mean" He sounded extremely intimidating and the threat must have penetrated Warrington's thick skull because her replied in acceptance, "Understood."

The girls shrieked "Eww" to each other but didn't stop dancing until the end of the song. Near exhaustion, Lily sought Duanne from the crowd and saw that he'd been watching her from a nearby couch with Malfoy. She headed towards them and slumped in the space between the pair of them careful to lean more in Duanne's direction. He welcomed her presence and draped his arm around her shoulder.

She snuggled closer to him, "That was fun" she told him breathlessly and he gazed down at her admiringly, "You were awesome, where'd you learn to dance like that?"

Lily beamed at his appraising gaze. Even Malfoy was looking at her as if she'd just grown up a few years but she stamped down the pleasure she felt at that. "Some old muggle dance films. I love to play them and imitate what I see" Lily informed him as she thought of the step up films from the 2000's.

"Really?" Malfoy inputted in utter disbelief.

Lily frowned "Yes, the barbarians aren't completely useless." she snapped and turned her back on him so that she faced Duanne. He was still smiling at her.

Malfoy seemed to take offence at her judgements "I didn't mean it like that"

"Whatever" Lily sighed nonchalantly. She didn't know why it bothered him. He'd openly announced his aversion to everything muggle on a regular basis. She turned her attention to Duanne and they laughed and joked. As Lily relaxed more she even made conversation with Malfoy, but still kept in mind that he was her sworn enemy.

"You know what Potter?" Malfoy sighed after an unknown amount of time.

Lily tipped her head backwards so that she saw the upside down image of Malfoy's head. Duanne's grip on her arms was all that stopped her from falling head first into Malfoy's lap "What Malfoy?" she asked and a unmistakable giggle escaped her lips. He looked weird upside down and she found that amusing.

"I kind of find you bearable when you're relaxed like this."

"Ha, that's funny." she attempted at sarcasm but a genuine laugh spoilt the effect, "I find you less horrific when I'm like this too." she chuckled.

"Do you fancy dancing?" Duanne asked and Lily snapped her back upright so that she could see him. The result was similar to that when the Tornado Twister wore off. Her hands flew to her head in attempt to steady her spinning vision. "in a minute" she groaned and lowered her head to his shoulder and closed her eyes so that she couldn't see the room spin around her.

It may have been that she was affes=cted by the small amount of alcohol she consumed or a side effect of the Weasley Wizard Wheezes she'd tried or even a combination of the two, but Lily's memory of that night withered so that she didn't know when the waking ended and the dreaming began.

One particular dream was rather weird. She was being carried by someone down an empty corridor. She could make out the suits of armour in the shadows. Mutterings came from all around her and someone was asking where the Gryffindor common room was… Then there was darkness…For the next dream she was being poked and prodded, "What's the password?" someone probed. She moaned and muttered "Dumbledore" groggily. She heard a swinging motion and then she was being lifted through something and the darkness claimed her once more… She was being lowered and her arms didn't want to unlock from their position around someone's neck. She couldn't make out the person's face in her dreams but he had a musical laugh and he prised her fingers apart and she fell against something soft… She felt heat caress her face as someone stoked the fire. Then something soft was draped over her and she snuggled into it… The darkness threatened once more… Seconds, minutes or hours later she was woken by some hushed mutterings. She groaned her protest and it stopped… The darkness surrounded her for one last time.

**I'd really like to know what you guys think of this, I'm open to suggestions of how to improve each chapter.**


	18. C18: Hangover

**Date: 02/10/09 I wasn't happy with the way I way portraying some of my characters or the pace of the story so I've decided to revamp it. I wanted to develop the family bond between the Weasleys and Potters and explain a lot of their actions more. If you've read this before I really hope you take the time to read the changes because I've made a lot of them. I hope you like the changes. Intended to be read by more mature teens and above because of later chapters.**

**Thank you: CherryBlossomGirl22, Violet Strawberri, Poisoned-CeCe-Blossom, Material Girl, kt potter93, mids-all-the-way and angelsea for the reviews.**

Chapter 17: Hangover

She wasn't exactly sure what woke her up; she only knew that once it had happened she had entered hell. Her throat was tight and raw, she was parched. Her limbs were stiff and ached, they protested at the slightest flex. Her stomach ached with hunger but the slightest thought of food made her want to gag. She opened her eyes. As soon as they met with a blaze of light her head felt as if it was cracking open. She slammed her eyes shut in an attempt to escape from the pain but once it had started it wouldn't stop. She groaned and tried to roll over away from the light but something was blocking her.

Slowly the cogs turned and she realised that she wasn't in her own bed. Horrified she opened her eyes, surely there wasn't someone lying next to her! Trying to ignore the jackhammer in her brain she poked her head up and felt relieved. What she had first assumed to be a person was actually the back of the sofa. Slowly and delicately she twisted her body so that she could examine her surrounding. She was in the Gryffindor common room with no memory of getting there. She tried to muddle through her memories of the night before but the more she struggled to make sense of them the faster she lost them.

No sun shone through the windows and nothing stirred in the Gryffindor tower except the crackle of the fire. With another groan she pulled the blanked over her head blocking the uncomfortable glare of the fire. By Lily's reckoning it was still in the early hours of the morning. She should have made her way up to the dormitory but she couldn't summon the energy. Instead she closed her eyes and fought off the pounding in her head until sleep claimed her once more.

The next time she awoke she could hear people chattering and not only that she could feel someone watching her as she slept. That's rude! She thought to herself and she decrepitly raised the blanket away from her face trying to ignore the fact that she still felt like crap. Her brother was glaring at her sleeping form. He held onto an ancient looking piece of parchment that Lily recognised to be the Marauder's map. Shit, she'd forgotten he had that there was no way she could lie about her whereabouts last night, he _knew_!

She dropped the blanket quickly in hopes that he didn't realise that she was awake. No such luck there, he too damn perceptive for his own good. She felt him lunge towards her and grabbed her shoulders and jerked her upright. Lily's head and stomach made their protests known and Lily used all her strength to resist the urge of being sick. It would serve him right if she failed! Her head rolled limply with a further groan and she raised it reluctantly and met Albus' furious gaze with an annoyed one of her own. She wanted to sleep! She wanted to stop feeling so unbelievably ill! She _didn't _want to have to talk to him right now.

Lily shivered as a chill shot through her and her eyes drooped lazily. Al's brotherly concern was given a sharp prod but it wasn't enough to leave her alone completely. He wrapped the blanket tightly around her and knelt before her without releasing his hold on her. He asked her to open her eyes again and when she did he waited patiently for her to get her bearings.

Her mind was groggy and she pulled the blanket tighter around her. She had no idea why she felt so cold but it couldn't have anything to do with the room temperature because the fire roared in the hearth.

She heard people muttering her name as they passed and she felt a little self conscious. She was still wearing the clothes from last night. Her blue dress was rumbled and twisted uncomfortably around her. Her shoes had been removed at some point and they had been placed neatly by the chair. She had no recollection of taking them off. She patted the sides of her face making sure that she was all intact with no open wounds or anything that could explain her symptoms as anything other than the worst hangover ever even though she hadn't had that much to drink. Her hair was a tangled knotty mess and she noticed that an earring was missing. That sucked, they'd been her favourite!

When she couldn't avoid him any longer she rolled her attention to Albus. His frown had deepened as he'd observed her checking that everything was in place, his mouth was a small slit. "Explain" he demanded a little too loudly.

Lily cringed at the sound. It vibrated in her scull, "Can't we do this later when my heads not about to explode?" she complained.

Albus shook his head and it sent her dizzy just watching him. "No, you can explain now." He said firmly. He retrieved a vile of a thick oozing orange/yellow liquid and shoved it at Lily. "Drink this."

Lily examined the vial in disgust. She rebuked at the very idea of it "I'm not drinking that, it looks like vomit." Albus growled angrily and forced it down her throat since she was too weak to fight him off. The liquid was tasteless but the lumpy texture was extremely unpleasant. She felt better instantaneously although the tonic didn't do anything to eased the churning of her stomach, it did numb the pain in her head and unclouded her mind a little so that she suddenly felt alert. Still, she wasn't going to thank her brother for manhandling her.

She glared at her brother, letting him know just how annoyed she was with him. "I decided that since I missed the Halloween ball I'd go and have some fun." she lied, partly because she was angry and partly because she wanted to leave out Maggie's involvement. Of course he would have known that she was there because of the damn map Lily could see was poking out of his robe pocket. At least it didn't tell the reader what each of the dots were saying to each other.

He looked sceptical as if he could see through her but he was no lie detector, he didn't know for sure. "So it was your idea to go to the Slytherin common room?" he asked and forced her to look him directly in the eye so that he could gage the honesty in her reply.

Lily rolled her eyes at the seriousness in his. She'd never been a good liar and to be believable in this situation she had to keep it either short and sweet or close to the truth. She decided on short and sweet and answered with a quick, "Yes."

It didn't work, he shook his head at her poor attempt of deceit. "Somehow I don't believe you."

"I have Slytherin acquaintances." Lily said defensively, she vaguely remembered making a few of them last night and she knew Margarita and they were on ok terms some of the time.

Albus cut her off with a slice of his hand through the air. "But Malfoy? Lily that's really going too far, you know I hate him. He cant be trusted and you-"

Malfoy? What did Malfoy have to do with any of it? And then she remembered that it had been Malfoy's birthday bash which she'd attended. "Merlin, No! Don't worry about that, I still hate him as much as I ever did and that's not about to change. I went with Margarita and Maggie." She explained intentionally leaving out Duanne's name out of it but knowing her brother as she did, he probably knew that as well.

"And I'll get to her later when she turns up." he growled, it was obvious that he blamed her for Lily's current condition. That was unfair, although she had been dragged to the party by Maggie, Lily didn't actually stop her. She'd allowed herself to be talked out of it and in the end that had been her own decision.

"She's not to blame, you leave her out of this, Wait! She's didn't get back?" Lily asked suddenly concerned. Maggie could be anywhere in the castle. They were both rather intoxicated last night. "No" he sighed at Lily's change of subject.

Lily tried to rack her brain but her memories weren't any clearer than they where when she woke up. They must have got separated on their way back. Come to think about it, Lily wasn't sure that Maggie had left the Slytherin common room with her. She couldn't remember, "I can't remember getting back. I didn't drink that much I swear" Lily announced alarmed. She was so annoyed with herself.

Albus looked as if he didn't believe her, he answered through gritted teeth: "One of them dropped you off. We're going to have to change the password now."

"Really! Who?" Lily wondered. She didn't expect that of a Slytherin, maybe she'd misjudged them. She would think further about that later when she was alone.

"It shouldn't matter. You are not going to behave like that again. What if something happened when you were there? I wouldn't have been able to come and help you."

"Nothing happened though; I just had one and a half glasses of fire whiskey and trust me I'm not going to try it again." Lily told him. It was true, except for the killer hangover or what ever it was, she was otherwise perfectly fine and nothing untoward seemed to have happened to her.

He laughed bitterly, "You're lucky I'm not going to tell dad about your underage drinking. It's very irresponsible." he lectured.

Lily's eyes rolled, like he could talk about underage drinking. He did it all the time although he'd probably not tried anything as strong as fire whisky. _Firewhisky. _The thought alone made her stomach churn and she took several deep breaths before it settled to a bearable discomfort. He didn't need to worry about her drinking like this again for a long time. "I'm not going to do it again in a hurry, I promise" she told him and he seemed to believe her.

"That's good to hear. Now go upstairs and get changed before breakfast." he instructed and pulled her to her feet.

Her head swam unsteadily and she swayed on the spot before she regained her balance with his assistance. The thought of food set her stomach into convulsions again. "I don't want breakfast." she moaned clutching her stomach as if it was in danger of falling out.

"Tough, you're going!" he said with amusement. This was obviously going to be her punishment.

Lily staggered up the stairs and changed into her winter uniform since she didn't have here robes. It was still in the cupboard in the classroom by the library. Lily needed to cast a few enhancing charms to make herself look semi-presentable. No matter what she did, she still looked like death warmed up.

When she got back down to the common room Al, Rose and Hugo are waiting for her. They all wore disaproving looks. Albus had obviously filled them in and Rose was probably feeling a little annoyed that she had played a part in passing messages between Maggie and Lily last night. Lily sighed, it was difficult being the youngest member of the family. She couldn't wait for Teddy and Victoire to decide it was time to have children so that they could direct there protectiveness elsewhere.

They marched her down to the great hall for breakfast ignoring her protest. Sandwiched between them she was unable to make her escape. They passed several Slytherin's on their way to the Gryffindor table. To Lily's surprise many of which nodded in greeting. Had she suddenly been accepted by them as a valid life form? Lily returned their nods and couldn't help but notice that some of the older students seemed to be suffering the effects of last nights drinking as bad as she was. Lily couldn't help but think that such behaviour as last night wasn't a common occurrence.

Her brother didn't like the familiarity expressed between her and the Slytherin house and when they reached the Gryffindor table, he forced her onto the bench between him and Rose. Hugo, Brian and Chester sat near by. The aromas coming from the tables had never smelt so repulsive to Lily. She sent her brother a death glare but he laughed. Her suffering was obviously amusing him, _Prat!_

She hadn't been sat down long before two people joined them. Jess and Delia had been drawn over by Lily's distress. They looked concerned but that quickly vanished when Lily explained about last night. They looked hurt that they hadn't been invited even though the wouldn't have gone and worried about the what ifs of the situation.

Shortly after the start of the tortuous breakfast Lily was being forced to endure, Maggie turned up looking as rough but nowhere near as bad as Lily. They had drunk about the same and Lily couldn't help but feel that her hangover was actually a reaction to the Tornado Twisters. Maggie had Lily's robes with her as she had stopped at the classroom on route. When questioned about her whereabouts Maggie confessed she'd spent the night in the Slytherin common room. Later, when Lily's brothers weren't around. Maggie would confess that she'd spent it with a sixth year Slytherin boy but they hadn't done anything more than kiss and sleep, however Lily's brother was there so she kept that information to herself.

Maggie went over what she remembered about last night and the girls laughed. Most of it was at Lily's expense, since she couldn't remember doing half the things Maggie was saying she couldn't claim her innocence. Instead she had some ammunition on Maggie that had occurred early on in the evening. "Do you remember finding Malfoy cute?"

"You lie!" Maggie accused looking horrified. Delia and Jess looked just as appalled.

Lily grinned broadly because she remembered it clearly. "Na-ah, you and your sister were all over him at one point." Lily reminded her. Maggie groaned as she recollected doing just that. "That's disgusting. I'm never drinking again especially not that stuff" Maggie finished with a shudder.

Lily was happy that the round laughter this time was not at her expense. As breakfast continued, Delia and Jess returned to their own tables. Lily's brother piled slices of dry toast onto her plate and told her that it would help her stomach. She took one look at the toast and decided it wasn't for her. She slid the plate across the table clearing the space in front of her. She folded her arms and rested them on the table. Shortly after that she buried her head in her arms and closed her eyes.

"Were we dancing on some tables at one point?" Maggie asked suddenly.

Lily raised her head, "I don't…" he gaze slid to Maggie who was staring at the Slytherin table. Posie and Pandora were staring over at them wiggling around on their chairs in a poor attempt of imitating dancing. That triggered a memory. "Oh my god. I can't believe what got into us last night. I do vaguely remember falling off one at one point and your brother failed to catch me." Lily blurted out. Her brothers were glaring at that revelation but Lily chose to ignore them.

"He was pretty drunk. He's suffering this morning." Maggie laughed and pointed over to the Slytherin table. They all turned to look, Maggie was right, Duanne looked dreadful as he slumped over table his forehead resting on the wooden surface. "At least they all seem to be suffering, even the first years but I suspect that is due to lack of sleep. They were very insistent that anyone in their fourth year lower were not to drink. The party didn't end until four but Malfoy disappeared for a while. I have no idea who he went off with. Probably getting a birthday gift from Posie!" Maggie half laughed and half cringed. "The house elves have a lot of work to be going on with today. Their common room was a mess this morning." Lily smiled weakly and let her head fall back in her arms.

"We better go to class." Maggie stated as the breakfast hour came to a close. Lily stood up reluctantly and the girls tread out of the hall under the unyielding gaze of Albus Potter.

"I swear if Professor Greengrass makes us do that Mameleu* venom antidote, I'll throw up in it" Lily complained remembering the antidote that was next on the agenda. It was renowned for its foul stench that made even the most sober witch and wizard nauseous. She hated having potions two days in a row.

"At least you have time to recover before your detention." Maggie reminded her.

"Oh goodie, a whole three hours with Malfoy!" Lily sang sarcastically at the reminder, at least she didn't have to feign niceness with him anymore. Her thoughts moved to a more pleasant topic, the up coming Ravenclaw vs. Hufflepuff match. She didn't have a preference to who won. Maggie suddenly doubled over as walking unsettled her stomach. "I think I need to go lie down." Maggie declared. Lily agreed but they were unable to sneak back to their dormitory as Professor Greegrass caught up to them and ordered them to class.

And so the day of suffering began. Professor Greengrass was true to her word and the class had to create the Mameleu venom antidote. Lily managed not to throw up in it but Zodiac Avery a Slytherin boy in her class wasn't so lucky, he was made to stay behind after class.

The girl's struggled through their lessons and decided to skip their meals for the rest of the day. When it came to her detention Lily worked through her task slowly in a different aisle than Malfoy. After their detention Lily penned a letter to her uncle adding her suggestions and complaining about the side effects of the Tornado Twisters. She asked her brother if she could borrow his invisibility cloak to sneak to the owlry but he refused. Instead he offered to drop it off in his free period and Lily went to bed hoping that she would be feeling better in the morning. She had and early start because it was quidditch practice.

**I'd really like to know what you guys think of this, I'm open to suggestions of how to improve each chapter.**

* Mameleu: a large Ocean dwelling serpent with two white horns, long teeth and fangs. It has large resistant scales, and eyes that jet out fire. It is very venomous. And it's body has magical properties.


	19. C19: Suffocation

Date: 03/10/09 I wasn't happy with the way I way portraying some of my characters or the pace of the story so I've decided to revamp it. I wanted to develop the family bond between the Weasleys and Potters and explain a lot of their actions more. If you've read this before I really hope you take the time to read the changes because I've made a lot of them. I hope you like the changes. Intended to be read by more mature teens and above because of later chapters.

Thank you: kt potter93, angelsea, Violet Strawberri and JessLeigh1981 for the reviews

**Chapter 19: Suffocation**

**The first two weeks in November were the most suffocating and frustrating weeks of Lily's life so far. Her brother insisted on escorting her everywhere and nothing she did could shake him off. Whenever she did manage to escape and find herself alone for a minute all he had to do was check the Marauder's map and he'd find her again. he even brought Hugo in on it so she couldn't even catch a break during lessons. **

**To Lily's great annoyance, she was unable to talk to Duanne much and they spoke no more that a couple of words every now and then. The claustrophobia that her brother forced on her was annoying not only for Lily but for her friends. They didn't like the fact that they were being stalked any more than Lily did. Even Delia was fed up with Hugo being constantly around. It got so bad that Jess and Delia started spending more time with people in their own houses and Maggie was often with her sister in order to escape them. Although Lily knew that it wasn't a conscience attempt of her friends to avoid her, she still felt hurt and lonely. At least there was an upside, Delia didn't seem to be as interested in her cousin any more. **

**The longest she ever spent with anyone was someone she would have been quite happy to avoid: Scorpius Malfoy during their detentions. Even those were supervised, Albus followed her into the library when Lily's detention began and he didn't leave until it was time to escort her back to the common room. He also seemed to have gained an added reason to hate Malfoy and he often sent him threatening looks when he thought Lily wasn't looking. Lily couldn't fathom a guess to what Malfoy had done now but she could only assume that Albus knew something she didn't.**

**Lily had to admit that Malfoy's lack of retaliation to the brother's hostility was quite impressive. Their relationship however, had more or less gone back to how it was before Halloween. They interacted with the usual air of contempt although Lily often caught him staring at her with a strange expression on his face. Lily spent too much time for her liking pondering over the change in him. However thoughts of her brother often snapped her out of it. He often sat nearby as Lily and Malfoy carried out their work but he never offered to help. Instead the pair of them had to trudge through the mountain of books alone. **

**Her uncle George had responded to her letter. Him and his son were currently busy at work making the amendments to the new merchandise. They'd apologised for the side effects of the Tornado Twisters and explained that they hadn't suffered those symptoms when they'd tested them out themselves. Lily forgave them and eagerly awaited a sample of the newly improved chocolates. However it was taking them a long time to sort out and that left Lily in a predicament. She didn't even have the Tornado Twisters to help speed up the process in the library or give her a head start with her brother.**

**At the end of those two weeks Lily felt ready to kill somebody. Since her brothers wouldn't listen to her she wrote to someone they'd have to listen to for help. Her Dad. She explained the whole situation to him in her letters so that her brothers couldn't use anything against her. He had been furious but had eventually forgiven her. Still, he wasn't too thrilled about the idea of stopping her brothers from being protective of her. After a weeks worth of letters and the latest reading:**

_**Daddy,**_

_**Please, please, please have words with Albus. He's not giving me room to breathe. Even my friends are avoiding me like the plague because of him and no one can bear be around me, even I can't bear to be around me. If he continues tailing me for much longer I cannot be held responsible for my actions and limbs may be lost. I need room to be me and their suffocating me. I can't take much more of this.**_

_**Love your favourite daughter, **_

_**Lily xXx**_

**Harry Potter finally relented. Lily read the last letter from her father as she patrolled the corridors alone.**

_**Lily,**_

_**I'll have a word with your brother. I know you think he has gone too far but its only because you mean so much to him. Please go easy on him and forgive him for just doing what he thinks is best. Keep calm and don't get into trouble. You've been doing so well.**_

_**Love you,**_

_**Dad x**_

_**P.S. Your mother sends her love.**_

**Lily felt guilty when she read the letter. Of coarse her brother had only been looking out for her. She should have just asked him to do it in a less intrusive way instead of sending her father threatening letters. Her father was remarkable, he must have already advised Albus to back off a bit because Lily couldn't sense her extra shadows around today. She wasn't naïve enough to believe that he wasn't checking up on her whereabouts with the map but at least they weren't with her 24/7. **

**So three weeks after the Halloween incident Lily was able to enjoy some time alone. She was celebrating her newly gained freedom when someone pushed her against the stone wall of the corridor and forced their tongue into her mouth. Lily had not expected it as she hadn't even seen him coming, so she wasn't prepared to defend herself. Things like that just didn't happen to her, her family always prevented it from happening.**

**Lily made muffled screams and pushed against her assailants chests with her fists and when that didn't work she dug her nails into the exposed flesh of his arms. He grunted but didn't release his hold on her. She continued to fight off the assault of her mouth and raised her hands to his face and dug her nails into the flesh there. That did nothing to deter him. Lily was beginning to panic when someone yanked him off her. **

**A pale fist went flying through the air and connected with her assailants jaw. Lily had never been so happy to see her brother. She watched as the boy she now recognised as **

**Braxton Nott a seventh year Slytherin, swayed unsteadily with a stupid grin still plastered on his face. His eyes rolled to the back of his head and he fell to the floor with a loud crash.**

**Lily looked to her rescuer to see which member of the family it was. She'd never before been so grateful to have them near. When her eyes met with her rescuer's she was shocked. It wasn't her brother nor her cousin nor any of their friends. Lily stood there stunned. Grassy-hazel met silver-grey. Lily's eyes widened as her rescuer turned his back on her. That was not something you saw everyday, your sworn enemy coming to your rescue. She didn't even get a chance to thank him because he walked off without explanation. She stepped over Nott's unconscious form and hurried to the Gryffindor common room reflecting on what had just passed. She just couldn't get her head round any of it.**

**During their next detention Malfoy acted as if nothing had ever happened. Lily tried to do the same but she found her gaze travelling toward him often. She suddenly realised that she'd never really looked at him before. All she ever saw was the annoying, obnoxious git, she still saw that but she had to admit there was more to him. He flicked through a book and his forehead creased in concentration and rubbed his eyes. He pushed the book away from him and pinched the bridge of his straight nose with his finger and thumb. A sigh escaped his lips, lips that were slightly too full for a male. She stiffened sensing her eyes on him and she forced herself to look away and back to the book she was checking.**

**Even without looking at him Lily's thoughts seemed to drift back to when Malfoy had thumped the Slytherin who had forced himself her. She hated that he was intruding her thoughts and she wouldn't be able to clear her mind until she found out "Why?" **

**Malfoy looked up from the book in his hand and turned to Lily who sat at a different table. He seemed annoyed by her question "Why what?"**

**Lily took a deep breath "Why did you help me earlier?"**

**He strugged as if it didn't matter at all but he seemed strained, "Why not? I would have done it for anyone, are you saying that I should have let him do that to you?"**

**Lily shook her head and wrapped her arms around herself to comfort her "But you don't like me, why would you help me in the expense of a fellow Slytherin?" she asked in a small voice that was so unlike her.**

"**Why do you want to know? Why is it important?" he asked clearly annoyed with her but when he looked at her he must have see the confusion she was feeling before he opened his mouth and continued, "Look I could never stand around and let any girl be treated like that, no matter who the girl and how I felt about her."**

"**Thanks" Lily said meekly, she saw the sense in that but she didn't like the discovery that Malfoy had an honourable side to him. It didn't have any use in fuelling her anger towards him and she really needed that anger. Lily got back to her work and chose to ignore her discovery of that side of him.**

**The last week of November was a lot more pleasant that the first three. Her brother had backed off a little although he were never usually far away, her friends were back by her side and everything seemed to be back to normal. The quidditch match between Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff was definitely something to see with Ravenclaw narrowly coming out on top with a margin of ten points. **

**When they entered December, Lily decided that quidditch practice was on hiatus until the new year. The team was ecstatic, although they loved quidditch, the winter this year was unusually cold and they all preferred to pass their time in bed than outside in the crisp air. Unfortunately due to the high demands of the continuing detentions and all the teachers assigning them essays for homework after every lesson, Lily didn't have much time to seek out Duanne. The sixth and seventh years had even more work piled on them and they constantly looked stressed. Even her brother didn't have the time to annoy Lily as such as they did and it became a common occurrence to see them working every spare hour of the day either in the library of the Gryffindor tower. **

**I'd really like to know what you guys think of this, I'm open to suggestions of how to improve each chapter**


	20. C20: Explosions in the dungeons

**Date: 04/10/09 I wasn't happy with the way I way portraying some of my characters or the pace of the story so I've decided to revamp it. I wanted to develop the family bond between the Weasleys and Potters and explain a lot of their actions more. If you've read this before I really hope you take the time to read the changes because I've made a lot of them. I hope you like the changes. Intended to be read by more mature teens and above because of later chapters.**

**Thank you: Violet Strawberri, Poisoned-CeCe-Blossom, Lady of the deep, brnnttebabe12, CherryBlossomGirl22, kt potter 93 and ga-4-ever for the reviews**

Chapter 20 - Explosions in the dungeons

Lily lay on her bed staring up at the ceiling as Maggie hurried around the room packing her trunk. The Christmas holidays would begin tomorrow and Lily was already packed. This meant that she had nothing to do in her last free period of the day and she had wanted to spend it doing something fun with Maggie. Maggie however was in a foul mood and was frantically searching through her stuff. "Aren't you done yet?" Lily sighed rolling onto her side and propping herself up with her elbow. Maggie glared at her and started throwing things out of her draws scattering them across the floor. She was looking for something specific and Lily had no idea what. Lily gave and exasperated sigh and slumped back on her bed. "I'm so bored" she huffed.

She heard Maggie growl with frustration and heard her stomping around the room. Lily rolled her eyes, Maggie was always like this when ever they were going home for the holiday. Maggie picked up a pillow off her bed and launched it at Lily. It his her square in the stomach and Lily made a chocking sound. She grabbed the pillow and threw it back at Maggie laughing. However Maggie was not in a laughing mood. Lily rolled her eyes, again hopped off her bed and leant against one of the four posters. If she wanted to have fun she wasn't going to have it here, she'd have to go in search of it elsewhere.

Maggie stormed over to the door and flung it open. "Coleen what have you done with my top?" she yelled angrily in the direction of the common room. Lily laughed in surprise, Maggie was blaming her current tantrum on a missing top. She got less inventive about her reasons each year.

Several seconds later footsteps could be heard racing up the stairs and moments later Coleen's slight frame stood cowering in the doorway peering up at Maggie's ferocious face. "I leant it to Cassandra Peakes, you said I could remember?" she squeaked shakily. Maggie gave another furious growl and Coleen looked to Lily for help. Lily considered letting the girl suffer Maggie's wrath for a little entertainment value but thought better of it. She was a Gryffindor after all and not a Slytherin. She walked over to Maggie and placed a hand on her shoulder.

"Maggie," she sighed soothingly. Maggie turned her frustration on her and Coleen fled the room in fear of her life. "This is not how I imagined we'd spend our last afternoon at Hogwarts, I'm going to go, so you come and find me when you've calmed down. Oh and don't take it out on Coleen, the poor girl wouldn't stand a chance and please remember you're a witch, just use a summoning charm." Lily finished with a chuckle and Maggie was finally smiling.

"I'm being ridicules aren't I?" Maggie sighed and she took out her wand. Lily nodded as Maggie cast the summoning charm. As Lily stepped through the doorway and onto the staircase and lime green top whizzed passed her ear. Maggie made a sound of triumph. "I wanted to wear it tomorrow!" she explained weakly to Lily. Lily nodded and walked down the spiral staircase. "I'll be with you soon, you go on ahead." Maggie shouted after Lily who waved back at her.

The common room was almost empty since most students were still in class. Lily decided to make her way outside. A thick layer of snow covered the ground and Lily was certain she'd find somebody who'd be happy to join in on a snowball fight. The hallways Lily passed through were empty apart for a few ghosts. Lily stopped for several minutes to talk to Nearly headless Nick, the Gryffindor ghost. He was completely obsessed with her father and claimed that they'd been close during Harry's time at Hogwarts having even attending one of his death day parties. Lily humoured him for a few moments before she made her excuses and left.

Lily skidded through the halls and eventually arrived at the entrance hall. She raced down the stairs careful to avoid the vanishing step. She'd almost reached the front door when Professor Thomas's shrill cry floated down to her. "Lily Potter, will you come her now please."

Lily stopped in her tracks and cursed silently. She turned a full one eighty and Chester's mum stood at the top of the staircase with her hands on her hips. "What've I done now?" she asked in dismay. She climbed up the staircase to join her.

When Lily stood on the top step, Professor Thomas tucked her chin to her neck and peered down at Lily over the top of her glasses. "Now why do you assume that? Have you done something that you think I should be made aware of?" she asked slightly amused.

Lily shook her head and apologised, "Sorry Professor." If she had done something wrong she certainly wasn't going to admit it to a teacher. She seemed to read her mind and smiled knowingly. "Could you do me a favour and take this to Professor Greengrass?" she asked and held a small envelope out in front of her. "She'll have something for me in return. I would go myself but it seems I'm needed elsewhere, peeves has been causing havoc again."

"Yes professor" Lily replied since she really didn't have a choice. Lily turned towards the dungeons as Professor Thomas waltzed off. In the distance Lily heard a loud bang which Lily guessed was probably Peeves throwing the antiques around again. He was lucky he was already dead so his punishment couldn't be painful.

When Lily arrived at the dungeons there was a class in progress. Lily knocked on the door and waited to be called in. Professor Greengrass was not the kind of Professor who you could just walk in to her class unannounced. "Enter." an icy voice called from inside the room. Lily opened the door and poked her head around it searching for the Professor. She was not at her desk.

"Miss Potter, what can I do for you?" She asked unable to keep the sneer off her face. Lily spotted her, she was standing over the cauldron belonging to Duanne. Lily couldn't believe her luck that his last lesson of the term happened to be this one. She smiled at the professor and kept her tone pleasant. "Professor Thomas asked me to give you this." Lily told her stepping completely through the threshold. She waved the envelope in the air in front of her and the professor's eyes zoomed in on it.

The Professor glided over to her and Lily caught Duanne trying to catch her eye. She waited for the Professor to take the letter off her and start reading it before she risked looking over at him. He was sat at a desk next to Malfoy. Goyle and Warrington were nowhere to be seen so Lily assumed that they weren't bright enough to take Potions as a NEWT. She smiled and gave him a mini wave before looking back at the professor.

Professor Greengrass' upper lip curled as she finished reading the letter. "Very well, just wait here and I'll be back in a few minutes." She told Lily and then turned to the seventh years. "Class, carry on with your potions. Mr Potter, I would advise you slice that into thinner strips lest you ruin your potion. Honestly you've been here more than six years now, I would have expected you to grow some brains." It was then that Lily noticed that the seventh year Gryffindors also had potions with the Slytherins. Albus and Rose sat at a desk close to Duanne's. Albus paled at the professor's comment and glared at her back as she left the room.

Rose peered over at his ingredients. "They're perfectly fine, she's just being awkward" she announced huffily. Lily rolled her eyes. It seemed that Professor Greengrass treated all the Potters the same way she treated Lily. With utter contempt! But at least with Lily she could never find any fault in her work.

"What are you doing here Lily?" Albus demanded, looking suspiciously at Lily as she edged closer to the Slytherin boy she was eager to talk to.

"I'm Padma's go to girl today." Lily sighed and then chose to blank him. A few of the students sniggered into their hands but carried on working on their potions. Lily leant against the desk Duanne sat at and peered into the cauldron and then to the recipe with one swoop of her eyes. It was supposed to be Veritaserum but it was far from complete and Lily was disappointed to realise that it was a very mediocre attempt. Lily mentally cringed and resisted the urge to fix it. She was careful not to let her thoughts show on her face when she smiled at him. "Hey Duanne"

Duanne leant back on the back two legs of his stool and grinned up at her. "Long time no see." he said and winked at her.

Lily's smile broadened and her eyes flickered back to the cauldron. She couldn't leave it like that, she had to offer her help. "You know, if you add an anticlockwise stir every three strokes you'll get that potion ready for the next stage a lot faster." Lily suggested helpfully.

Duanne's charcoal brows shot up in surprise. That certainly wasn't what he'd expected her to say. He peered down at his pitiful potion and smiled embarrassed "Are you sure?"

"Lily, you're only a fifth year what would you know? The text book tells you to only stir clockwise at this stage." Rose interrupted. Lily sighed, it was just typical of her cousin to rely on a book as fact. She took all the creativity out of the art of potion creation.

"Who are you going to listen to Duanne? Me or Rosie there?" Lily chimed giving him the puppy dog eyes.

He couldn't resist her charms. He rocked forward on his stool and steadied himself. "I'll give it a go but if it blows up in my face I'm dragging you down with me." and with that he grabbed hold of Lily's petite waist and dragged her onto his lap. Lily squealed as she settled her back against his chest. She couldn't have got up even if she had wanted to. His arm held her firmly in place. She really hoped that Professor Greengrass didn't walk in any time soon. Duanne reached for Lily's chin and urged her to look over her shoulder at him.

His eyes were a deep warm black/brown. As Lily gazed into them she could help but notice that they didn't have as powerful a hold on her as Malfoy's silver-blue eyes had several weeks ago. She squashed that thought and was happily distracted by the sound of metal on stone as Albus knocked his stool backwards and leapt to his feet. "Get your hands off her" He yelled and the class's attention flicked between the furious Albus and the perfectly content Duanne and Lily with growing unease.

Both Lily and Duanne looked over at Albus but neither of them moved from their position. Albus' posture was tense and unmoving. Lily knew that he was itching to lunge towards them and drag her off him but the risk of Professor Greengrass catching him was too high. Duanne dipped his head and grazed his lips grazed against her neck. Lily shuddered impulsively and saw her brother's eyes blaze furiously. It probably wasn't the best idea Lily had to stay where she was but she stayed there all the same.

Her eyes flickered around the room in an attempt to distract herself from the staring contest Duanne and her brother was having. She caught sight of Malfoy, he was definitely distracting and unsettling. His face was expressionless but he sat stiffly in his seat, his muscles tensed. When she braved his eyes, they chilled her. His eyes told her that he was furious and he was furious at her. She hadn't done anything that warranted those eyes. She quickly looked away from him and back up at Duanne. He was still sending evils to Albus but her was also smirking. "Chill Potter, she's not complaining, I'll only let her go once she does."

"Lily!" Albus demanded, his skin paling with fury.

Lily shook her head stubbornly, she looked up at Duanne "I'm not complaining." she assured him grinning and turned back to her brother "Albus!" she shouted with exasperation. He made a move towards them but Rose held him back and muttered something to him that Lily couldn't hear.

Lily sighed and made a move to get out of Duanne's hold for her brother's sake "What do you know, it worked." Duanne announced and the outburst made Lily jump because her attention had been else where. She looked back at Duanne and found that he'd tried what she'd suggested.

Lily took the opportunity to stand up and her brother seemed to relax a little. "I told you it wouldn't blow up in your face." Lily grinned smugly and shot a gloating look at Rose who was sulking. Out of the corner of her eye she saw Malfoy about to do something really reckless. "Talking about blowing up in your face I wouldn't add that Puffer-Fish Eye Malfoy, you've already add…ed… one."

He didn't listen to her and Lily watched the eyeball dropped into the potion in slow motion. As soon as it dipped under the surface the reaction was instantaneous and Lily didn't have time to react. A cloud of deep lilac smoke filled the room. Lily stood there chocking and held her sleeve to her mouth to prevent any further smoke inhalation. She heard the other students doing the same. It stung her eyes so she squeezed them shut. As the smoke settled she opened them again and the sight that greeted her would have made her laugh if she wasn't coughing so much.

Suddenly the door to the dungeons opened. "What happened in here?" Professor Greengrass shrieked when she entered the room and found every surface covered in a thick layer of soot. She eyed all the students suspiciously and Lily noticed that her eyes lingered on Albus for longer than the rest. Lily was a irritated at the injustice of her assumption despite her annoyance with her brother.

She choked out the last of the smoke in her lungs. "I warned you." she muttered to Malfoy in a low voice so only Duanne and Malfoy could hear. He gave her a fleeting look and then stood up shaking himself free of ash. "Sorry Miss," Malfoy said owning up to his mistake.

The professor's eyes widened in shock as they lay on Malfoy. "Scorpius! I'm surprised at you. You don't usually make mistakes like that." Lily had the feeling that if it had been any other person she wouldn't have been so forgiving. Being nephew to the potions master obviously had it's benefits. She took out her wand and cast a cleaning spell so all the ash disappeared. She then proceeded to glide towards Lily, "Miss Potter take this to Professor Tyhomas's office." she demanded, he voice void of politeness.

Lily decided to take the high road in this instance. She smiled sweetly and took the box from her. "It would be my pleasure" she smiled and weighed the box in her hand. It was surprisingly heavy for its size. Lily was curious to find out what it was but if she peeked no doubt Professor Thomas would find out and Professor Greengrass wasn't exactly going to tell her. She slipped the package into the largest pocket of her robes.

When Lily went to leave the room she passed Al and Rose. They were deep in conversation. Rose sounded curious as she spoke but Albus still sounded seriously annoyed when he responded. "What was that about?" Rose asked in a hushed voice. "How should I know?" Albus snapped sending a glare full of hatred at Malfoy and Zabini. "But he's top of the class" Rose added. "Rose I'm not a mind reader, I don't know what had him distracted." Lily listened to them curiously. If Malfoy was supposed to be better at potions than Rose, then why did he make such an obvious mistake?

"See you at supper you two." Lily grinned and Left the room, she felt Al glare after her and chuckled to herself. She took the box to the head of Ravenclaw's office and then set out to the grounds and joined in on a snowball fight with a group of Ravenclaws until Maggie found her.

They spent the rest of the afternoon together until it was time to go to supper. When supper finally arrived Lily decided it would be a pleasanter meal if she avoided her brother. So she, Maggie and Jess joined Delia on the Hufflepuff table. After supper the four girls went for a stroll in the snow and when their noses got so cold they felt as if they were going to drop off, they snuck down to the kitchen and got a mug of hot chocolate each from the house elves. They hung out in there until it was time for them to say goodnight and head to their respective common rooms. Lily continued to evade her brother and cousins and spent the rest of the night in the girls dormitory.

**I'd really like to know what you guys think of this, I'm open to suggestions of how to improve each chapter**


	21. C21: Home for the Holidays

Date: 02/10/09 I wasn't happy with the way I way portraying some of my characters or the pace of the story so I've decided to revamp it. I wanted to develop the family bond between the Weasleys and Potters and explain a lot of their actions more. If you've read this before I really hope you take the time to read the changes because I've made a lot of them. I hope you like the changes. Intended to be read by more mature teens and above because of later chapters.

**Thank you: CherryBlossomGirl22, ktpotter93, carrionrockr and lady of the deep for the reviews**

Chapter 21: Home for the holidays

Lily's head rested sleepily against Maggie's shoulder as she sat in one of the prefects compartment on the Hogwarts Express shared with her friends and family. The Slytherins and Ravenclaw prefects apart from Jess were in the second compartment. Eoin and Lucy sat at one end with all the Hufflepuff apart from Delia, they had gotten back together after their breakup earlier in the term and Lily chose to ignore them but she had not forgotten about him.

After patrol duty her best friends and herself had eaten a ridiculous amount of chocolate. They'd eaten way too much and that had caused them all to get drowsy. They had soon fallen asleep and Jess started to snore. She was lying across the length of the seat across from Lily. Her cat, Myrrh, an adorable Russian blue, lay curled up at her feet. Delia slept on the floor. She'd fallen at some point and couldn't find the energy to get back up. Lily's cat Padfoot had taken a liking to Delia and curled up in Delia's mass of blonde locks. Lily tilted her head up to look at Maggie, she was sleeping with her head resting against the window. Lily didn't see the point in waking them. They were only an hour or two from London so Lily dropped her cheek back on Maggie shoulder and allowed herself to succumb to sleep. The girls slept until the Hogwarts Express pulled into the station at Kings Cross.

"Call me over the holidays ok. Man, I wish I wasn't going skiing." Jess companied as the four girls unloaded their trunks and other baggage off the train. Jess went skiing with her family every Christmas and every Christmas she complained about.

"You'll have an amazing time Jess and don't worry we'll call you." Maggie assured her, which surprised Lily. It was usually Delia or herself saying that.

Suddenly the image of Maggie fumbling with a mobile phone trying to get it to work flashed through Lily's mind. Maggie wasn't the most technical of people, especially when it came to muggle contraptions. The thought made Lily laugh, "That is if Maggie can remember how to use that mobile telephone thing you gave her." she teased and Maggie stuck her tongue out at Lily. "Oh ha ha, don't act as if you worked out how to use it in the first go. I know you didn't" Maggie retorted.

Lily stopped laughing at once, that was true. Lily _did_ have problems with the phone but she had her father for assistance. he'd grown up with muggle relatives and so, knew how to use a phone. "I took to it better than you…" she bragged sticking out her tongue.

"Sorry to interrupt, but I have to go," Delia said hugging each of them in turn, "There's my mum with Allie." she pointed to an area on the platform where her mother Hannah, the landlady of the Leaky Cauldron, stood with Delia's two year old sister. As they looked over, Professor Longbottom joined his wife and kissed his baby girl in greeting. Frankie was already with them and was waving at Delia to hurry up. "Have a good Holiday." Delia called back at her friends and dragged her trunk towards her family.

"I better get going as well." Jess told Maggie and Lily as she looked towards her parents. They were both muggles and still stood in awe whenever they were in the magical community. Lily thought they were the greatest and she had had many informative conversations with them over the years. "I need to get them out of here before they do something to embarrass me." she laughed and struggled with her school trunk and cat box as she left. Lily had to admit that they did go a bit over the top whenever they were in Diagon Alley or at Platform 9 ¾. They were a little obsessed with magic the way that her grandpa was obsessed with anything muggle. Mr and Mrs Foxely were about to cause a scene when Jess reached them and ushered them through to Kings Cross Station.

Lily laughed. At least her parents weren't that embarrassing although many people did tend to come over and ask to shake her father's hand. That was irritating instead of embarrassing though. Talking of her parents she couldn't seem to find them anywhere. She turned to talk to Maggie and found that Margarita and Duanne had joined them. Margarita had spent the last three weeks acting a bit off with Lily, but this morning she'd changed back into liking Lily mode. It was rather confusing since Lily didn't know the reasons why, but she was Maggie's sister and so Lily put up with it.

"Hi" Lily said to both Margarita and Duanne and they both responded to her in kind. Maggie and Margarita started loading up the trolley they'd acquired whilst Duanne very inconsiderately watched them struggle. Lily notice that he looked as if something was bothering him. She caught his eye and raised a brow questioningly. He turned away from her. Lily frowned, she didn't know what she'd done to deserve being given the cold shoulder.

She tapped him on the shoulder and got his attention. He was sulking and she gave him an encouraging smile to ask him why. It worked and he said quietly "I didn't get to see you on the train. Are you avoiding me?"

Lily was amazed that he could think such a thing. She found it rather funny but she stopped herself from laughing in case it reinforced his wrong impression. "Not at all just keeping my brother happy so that the holidays will be bearable. I'm sorry, I should have come in and said hi at some point." she said honestly.

His mood perked up instantaneously and Lily was pleased that she had such an effect on him. "that's ok, I'll see you in a couple of weeks and that's not too far away, maybe we could do something sometime without the others around." He announced and she couldn't prevent the genuine smile that spread across her face. "I'd like that" she replied and he leant towards her and her stomach started tying in knots.

"Mum and Dad are over there with Dorian" Margarita interrupted and pointed towards her family. Duanne was distracted and leant back away from Lily. He looked towards his parents. Lily frowned, she was not pleased with Margarita's poor timing. She followed the gazes of the Zabini children and saw their father Blaise and mother, Sah-Kara. Dorian was their nine year old brother and he was holding his mother's hand as they walked down the platform. Their mother was stunning, a real Egyptian beauty and their father was rather good looking as well. Looking at them, the Zabini children were never going to be plain. "Have a good Christmas" Lily sighed, knowing that they would be leaving now.

"You too" Duanne said and planted a quick kiss on Lily's cheek. Lily's face lit up. A peck on the cheek was definitely better than nothing and she watched Duanne and Margarita walk away. She noticed Mr Zabibi tense when he saw his sons actions. Lily wasn't surprised. On the few occasions that Lily had talked to her best friend's parents she got the feeling that they didn't like her.

It took Lily a few moments to realise that Maggie hadn't left with her brother and sister.

"Write to me ok" Maggie pleaded. They went through the same routine every year. "Of course I will!" Lily assured her and hugged her goodbye. Maggie was slightly reluctant to leave. "Bye then" Maggie sighed and grudgingly ended the hug. She headed to her family looking back at Lily all the while. "Bye" Lily finished and waved the last of her best friends goodbye. She knew Maggie hated the holidays and that was the real reason why she was always stressed out towards the end of term. Her parents have never got over the fact that she was sorted into Gryffindor instead of Slytherin. Lily secretly hoped Dorian would be sorted into Gryffindor next year, then maybe they'd lay off her.

Lily was left alone on the platform. She looked at the crowd of parents being reunited with their children and searched again for her own. No matter how hard she looked she couldn't spot either of her parents welcoming faces. That was unusual, they were usually here waiting an hour before the train was due to arrive. As she examined the faces of the crowd she saw the freckled face of her Uncle Ron. Maybe he would know where her parents were. She took a few steps towards him when she noticed the people next to him. Her cousin's Rose and Hugo were there chatting casually with her brother Albus. Lily hesitated and decided not to join them.

She decided to walk down the other end of the platform in search for her parents. She left her school trunk and Padfoot in his carrier by the platform edge. She searched for several minutes and still couldn't find them. However, a head of Aqua hair in the middle of a group of people was cause for excitement. "Teddy!" Lily yelled excitedly at the top of her lungs. At the sound of his name he looked towards her with a big goofy grin on his face. Several other faces turned to stare at her after her outburst but she only had eyes for him and blocked everyone else out. She raced towards him weaving around the families who didn't have the courtesy to move out of her way. He stepped in front of the crowd with his arms out ready to welcome her. She threw herself into them gladly and wrapped her arms around his neck and they twirled around until they got dizzy.

They held hold of each other's arms for support, Lily knew how clumsy Teddy could be. She looked into his diamond grey eyes and felt at home. "I've missed you." she sighed and hugged him again. She had missed him but it was only seeing him here now that made her realise how much she'd missed him. He crushed her against him in a big bear hug. "Missed you too sis."

He let her go and she took a step backwards so that she could soak in the image of him. He'd lost some weight, too much weight since he'd always been on the skinny side, but on the whole he looked happy and well. "It's so good to see you. How've you been? Have you been eating? How's Victoire? How are the wedding preparations going? Are you nervous?" Lily gushed, bombarding him with questions. He laughed and Lily could feel people around them staring at her. She had the sudden urge to confront them but they were coming from the party Teddy had previously been talking to so she resisted.

"I'm great, she's great, everything great and of course I'm nervous petal. Thanks for reminding me." he laughed. Lily was glad at that answer. She gave him another tight hug. She knew things were going to change soon. After he got married, he would have less time to do things with her such as quidditch and listening her bitch about her brothers or whine about her parent's not giving her enough freedom. He would have other stuff to do, marriage stuff. Lily fought back the tears she felt building up in her eyes so he had no idea of the sudden turmoil she felt. He was just happy to see her and held her.

"So, where's mum and dad?" Lily asked, her voice muffled by Teddy's shoulder. Lily didn't feel funny asking him this. Although Teddy wasn't her real brother, he still referred to her parents as Mum and Dad since his parents died in the war before he had chance to get to know them. Her parents were the only parents he'd known and they treated him like their own. She looked up at him and his aqua brows had risen beyond his hairline. "Bored of me already?" he chuckled unable to actually sound hurt.

She rolled her honey brown eyes and slapped him playfully on the chest like she did whenever he got ridiculous notions into his head. Which was quite often. "No silly, never!" she laughed and beamed up at him shaking her head.

It was his turn to roll his eyes at her and he ruffled her hair fondly. "Dad's here somewhere, probably with Al by now. Mum's with Victoire and the other women getting prepared for the big day". He finished with a sigh and Lily knew that it was the nerves kicking in. She didn't want him to dwell on them so she but on a face of excitement and surprise and squeaked mischievously "What? Christmas?"

The laughter that followed was genuine and infectious. Lily felt a sense of pride that she'd managed to distract him from more serious thoughts. He gave and exaggerated sigh of disbelief "Now who's being silly."

She shot him a Cheshire cat smile and bounced around playfully on the balls of her feet. "Nah, I know. it's just… it's so soon." She cringed at the reference to the Wedding but try might, she didn't want to not talk about it.

"Tell me about it" He grumbled but he didn't seemed to mind talking about it. Lily wanted to know a few things, like how her masterpiece was coming along. "So what's the dress like? Has Lucy made a good job of it?" After she asked the questions she noticed the stress in her voice. This puzzled her, she'd seen Lucy's work and knew how particular she was that everything perfect.

"Relax, I haven't seen it" he chuckled and wrapped his arm around her. Lily frowned, "Why not?" she demanded. He gawked at her as if she'd missed the obvious and replied "Tradition". Lily huffed, of course tradition: Tradition stated that the groom was not to see the dress before the wedding or their marriage would be cursed with bad luck. She scowled since that was the most ridiculous thing she'd ever heard. She huffed again at Teddy and complained playfully"Oh, what use are you?"

Teddy burst out laughing and smirked at her and said with an air of sarcasm: "Aren't you a treasure today."

Lily quickly came up with and excuse for her comment. "Sugar low, too much chocolate on the train. I'm on a downer." She explained and realised that that was a viable reason. She always did get crabby when her blood sugar was low.

"That explains it" Teddy mused and looked away from her. For a moment she thought that he was angry with her but then she saw that he was actually turning to talk with someone in the group next to them. "So I'll see you at the wedding. Your entire family is welcome." he told the other. This caught Lily's interest and she turned to see who Teddy was talking too since she hadn't paid anyone any attention apart from him.

Stood next to Teddy was a tall pale faced man with peroxide blonde hair, receding hair line, pointed chin and cold grey eyes. Lily knew that face and experienced the shiver that went with it. The man currently accepting the invitation was non other than Draco Malfoy.

Lily's jaw dropped as she regarded Mr Malfoy and his son now conversing with Teddy. She couldn't believe it. Of all the people to be invited to Teddy and Victoire's wedding. The Malfoy's? Lily certainly never thought such a thing would happen. "What the-" Lily began but was cut off by a look of caution from Teddy. Mr Malfoy looked offended by her outburst. She needed to get out of there fast, but she couldn't show Teddy up by just running off. "I mean- excuse me for my rudeness. I hope you have a pleasant holiday and I'll see you at the wedding." She told the older Malfoy since she was determined not to look the younger one in the eye. So much for her Malfoy free holiday. She was going to have a herd of Malfoys over. Draco inclined his head at her and she turned back to Teddy. He was looking at her more kindly again. "I need to go get my bags. Will I see you at the car?" she asked. He nodded and Lily turned and walked away as fast as she could without causing a scene.

As Lily arrived at the spot where she'd left her baggage she found her father standing next to them with a concerned expression on his face. He'd found her abandon baggage and had thought the worst. She smiled to herself. What on earth could happen to her on a train platform full of so many witches and wizards. She walked towards him without picking up the pace and called to him. "Hi Daddy."

His emerald eyes widened in relief as he saw her. "Come here Lily, how've you been?" he asked and pulled her into a hug. It wasn't as an enthusiastic a hug as the one she gave Teddy but that was only because of her mood. She was no longer happy because her holiday had already been ruined by the knowledge that Malfoy's presence was going to be forced upon her. As if she didn't have enough of him to deal with at school. She hoped that when she got home and was able to reflect on the situation she'd be able to enjoy the days that were Malfoy free. "I'll be glad when we get home." she sighed and didn't let go of her father when he pulled back and hooked his arm around her shoulders. "Are we going straight to the Burrow?"

"Yes, your mother is there now." he told her and she released him. He levitated her baggage onto a trolley and pushed it in front of him while Lily walked next to him. "Daddy?" she asked to get his attention and looked imploringly at him.

He stopped the trolley and looked at her, "Yes dear" he replied and smiled down at her waiting for her to continue.

Lily wondered how she should word her question since she didn't want to be too abrupt. "Why are the Malfoy's invited to the Wedding? I thought it was just family and friends."

Harry regarded her for a few moments, "Narcissa Malfoy is Andromeda Tonks sister?" he confessed.

That surprised her. She didn't know that Teddy was related to the Malfoy's. "Really? Teddy and Malfoy are cousins?" she asked in amazement and her father nodded as confirmation. She wondered why Teddy hadn't told her before now: If he'd been so opposed to recognising them as relations then why were they invited to the wedding, It must mean that Teddy was ok with that family but had chosen to keep the information from her. "How unfortunate." she grumbled.

This seemed to annoy her father but he knew how much she hated the Malfoy boy. She was constantly in detention because of him. Why was he surprised that she reacted that way. Did he honestly think that her thoughts about him had changed because they were forced to work together during detentions. Hell would freeze over before the day she stopped loathing him. "Now dear, you'll be on your best behaviour for Teddy and Victoire's big day. Wont you?" he said in a scolding tone.

She couldn't believed he'd just asked her that. Of course she was going to behave herself. She wouldn't do anything to spoilt their big day. However, for only the reason of winding up her father up she heaved a heavy sigh "Urgh, if I have to." After all, it wasn't just her he had to worry about. James and Albus were not going to react kindly when they were enlightened to that little piece of news.

Lily's thoughts were interrupted by her father's sharp tone. "The Malfoy's aren't as bad as everyone thinks you know. They were a great help to the Aurors when rounding up the last of the death eaters." Lily gaped at her father. She circled him and started prodding the fleshy parts of his face. He looked confused and batted her hands away repeatedly. "What are you doing?" he finally demanded in a fatherly tone.

Lily frowned, it was her father alright. "Just checking it's you and not someone taking polyjuice potion. You haven't happened to have been hit by a confundus charm by any chance have you?" she asked seriously. It was not possible that Teddy and her father had been enrolled on to Team Malfoy.

He laughed at her and her frown grew deeper. He wasn't taking her seriously. "Honesty Lily, I think you pay too much attention to your Uncles on that point. They don't seem to realise that they have changed. I hope you are not harbouring the prejudices of the past."

"No I don't hate Malfoy because of his family. I hate him because he's a pretentious, blood obsessed, prig." she replied in an indignant tone at the accusation. She was perfectly capable of forming a hatred of him by himself and Malfoy was capable of making enemies without the need of his father's murky past. It did help though. Lily thought her father was a little too forgiving at times, especially when it involved someone other than his own children.

He sighed sensing she was a lost cause and any other convincing he did would fall on deaf ears. He looked down at his watch and checked the time. "Hmmm, Let's go and find Al."

Lily was glad of the change of subject to a lighter one. "Oh we can leave him here, we don't need to take them home with us." she teased.

He tutted at her and sighed "Come on." he pushed the trolley while she quietly followed. They found her brother by the car. Teddy had met up with Albus after he'd finished talking to the Malfoy's. Lily tried to go the rest of the journey without talking to him but he kept making her laugh by morphing the shape of his face. Lily gave up. Being mad at Teddy was impossible and anyway, there was no point in being angry with him for who his blood relatives were. After a several hour drive they pulled up at the Burrow and were Lily was greeted by their grandparents and the rest of her large family.

**I'd really like to know what you guys think of this, I'm open to suggestions of how to improve each chapter**


	22. C22: Joyous times

**Date: 03/10/09 I wasn't happy with the way I way portraying some of my characters or the pace of the story so I've decided to revamp it. I wanted to develop the family bond between the Weasleys and Potters and explain a lot of their actions more. If you've read this before I really hope you take the time to read the changes because I've made a lot of them. I hope you like the changes. Intended to be read by more mature teens and above because of later chapters.**

**Thank you: Reshmi Solaris, ga-4-ever, angelsea and Violet Strawberri for the reviews**

Chapter 22: Joyous times

The morning after arriving at the Burrow, Lily sat at the kitchen table with her brothers and cousins Rose and Hugo. Lily had decided not to dwell on the knowledge that Malfoy was going to attend the wedding and she chose to enjoy every day of the holidays even if she had lots of studying to do. Unlike the four others who were still in their pyjamas Lily was fully dressed. She wore a black v-neck jumper, tartan skirt, thick woolly black tights and some dragon-hide boots. She'd curled her long red hair into delicate waves that flowed down her back and her locks were kept from falling across her face with the use of a black alice-band.

Her eyes were currently the colour of gold and she glared at her porridge as the rest of her family busied about getting ready. "What is the point of having everyone over for the holidays if you are all off to work?" she complained. She loved spending time with them all over the Holidays but they weren't going to be around for the first few days. Her Father, Uncles: Ron and Percy, Aunts: Hermione, Audrey and Angelina, Cousins: Molly and Roxanne, along with Teddy, drifted into the kitchen and prepared themselves to use to floo network to get to the Ministry of Magic where they worked.

Her father walked out of his place in the queue and placed a gentle kiss on the top of her head. "We'll see you tonight sweetheart." he said and he tried to hug her. This was made difficult since Lily refused to get up off her chair. He sighed at her, said goodbye to the rest of his children. Just before he stepped into the fireplace and disappeared with a puff of green smoke Lily jumped off her seat and rushed over to him. She wrapped her arms around him in an affectionate embrace. "See you tonight daddy, have a good day at work." He kissed her again and stepped into the fireplace. Lily waved to him until he disappeared.

Just after her father had gone, her mother entered the room with Louis. They both worked for the Daily Prophet when they were not playing quidditch professionally. Although James was on the same team as Louis, he didn't have an extra job with the newspaper so he was staying at home. Louis and her mother always chose to apperate to work and they would be leaving shortly. "We're all on holiday from the 24th until the new year." Her mother told her with a kind smile that made it impossible for Lily to be mad with her. It was obvious that she'd been listening to the conversation from the other room. Lily smiled but she still didn't see the point of hanging around the house with hardly anyone there and plus, she needed to buy a few Christmas presents. She had ordered most of her presents using owl order and they lay in a magically locked chest under her bed.

"Urgh, Rose?!" she said turning away from her mother and to her cousin. "What is it?" Rose mumbled sleepily and pushed away her empty bowl of porridge.

"Fancy going to Diagon Alley for a bit of shopping?" Lily suggested.

Rose's face lightened and she smiled with excitement, "Sure, there are a few things I have to get."

Albus rolled his eyes and muttered something about girls and shopping. Rose heard him and threw a bread roll at him. It hit him on the forehead since he wasn't looking in her direction. He laughed and would have retaliated but their grandma's watchful eye was on him. Instead he just smiled and applauded her for her aim. He then went to fuss over his grandma and make her a cup of tea.

Lily was talking to her mother again. "See, you are going to be fine without us around. Have fun!" Ginny Potter said and leant over kissing everyone on their cheeks and said goodbye. She left the house with Louis and Dominique went running after them grabbing an apple as she left.

A few minutes later Victoire entered the kitchen and headed straight for Lily. She wafted her silver blonde hair over her shoulders and shot her a dazzling smile. "Lily, Mama and I are off to Diagon Alley with Lucy in a few minutes. The dress is ready for the final fitting and I thought maybe you would like to come along. I'd really like your opinion since you designed it. Would you like to come along?"

Lily shot to her feet, "Would I ever! Er Rose, will you be ready in a few minutes?" she asked sceptically and turned to her.

Rose looked up from her porridge with a thoughtful expression on her face"No but you go ahead, I'll meet you in the Leaky Cauldron. I'll floo in with Uncle George. Him and Freddie are starting work a little later today." Rose told her.

"Cool, ready when you are." Lily bounced on the spot and Victoire looked radiant as she smiled at her youngest cousins pleasure. "We're going to fly if that's ok. There's a blanket of cloud out there so we wont be seen. I'm feeling a bit queasy because of nerves, Apperating and the floo network are a bit of a no-no at the moment. I hope you don't mind, Oh and Louis said that you could borrow his premium firebolt if you want."

Lily could only nod and shake her head. She was afraid that she would only gurgle if she tried to speak. She was basically bubbling over with excitement as soon as the dress was mentioned and now she was able to ride Louis' broom: Her day couldn't possibly get any better. She hurried over to the broom cupboard and took out Louis' Premium Firebolt.

He was a Chaser for the Westgate Winged Horses and also played for the English national side. The broom was pure perfection. If Lily's heart wasn't set on fashion design she would have probably went to play quidditch professionally like her mother, Louis and James. He was Keeper for the WWH and had joined them the day he had graduated from Hogwarts.

She grabbed her scarf, cloak and gloves and ran outside with the broom. She tested it out while she waited for the others to join them. The broom acted as if it read her every though and it was all to easy to bend to her will. She whizzed around the garden and dived and rose like a rollercoaster. It was the most exhilarating experience in life so far.

She was almost disappointed when Fleur and Victoire glided gracefully out of the house with their broomsticks. They put Lucy's playful skip to shame as she pranced along with her own broom in her hand. Her Aunt Fleur hesitated when she mounted onto her broom. Lily had forgotten that she wasn't a fan of flying. Lily wondered why she chose not to apperate and meet them at Diagon Alley. She shrugged it off and when they were all in the air they set off to London.

***

"C'est magnifique!" Fleur exclaimed she watched her eldest daughter twirl around the shop floor with an expression of pure joy on her face as she looked down at her wedding dress. Lily had to admit she'd got that description down to a tee, Victoire really did look glorious in the gown.

The dress was strapless: the pearly fabric folds gathered around her breasts and covered the right amount of skin so that it was considered respectable as well as having a sexiness about it. It hugged her waist and the fabric was gathered together mid way up her right thigh. This would have revealed her long slender legs if it wasn't for the silky underskirt.

She looked a figure of pure beauty, Teddy was going to have to use a great deal of restraint so that he didn't drag her off to the bedroom before the ceremony even ended. Lily felt tears in her eyes when she saw how happy she was with it.

"Oh it's beautiful. Thank you, both of you." Victoire exclaimed and tears filled her eyes. She dragged Lily and Lucy into her arms for a hug. "Careful, we don't want to crumple to dress." Lily said and leapt backwards She was also cautious about spoiling the dress with her tears. There was not a dry eye in the room. Victoire gave another twirl and tears of pride were flowing down her mother's angelic face.

"You look like a princess" Lucy announced.

"You look like an angel" Lily beamed

"You look perfect." Fleur added and the girls looked on in awe.

When Victoire went to change out of it, Lily turned to Lucy: "You've done a great job on it Lu" she told her.

Lucy bowed, curtsied and joked about before saying: "Well, it's a stunning design- and such a beautiful model" she added as Victoire came back into view now wearing her everyday clothes.

"Honestly you two!" she chuckled and Lucy went to carefully pack up the wedding dress. "Before we go I want to show you the dresses I have for everyone." Victoire said, turning to Lily.

"Excuse me?" Lily blanched: This was the first time she'd heard that she wouldn't be wearing a dress of her choice. She had already chosen what she was going to wear to the wedding.

Victoire looked confused. "Mama ordered dresses for you and the rest of our cousins to wear. Didn't I tell you? You are all bridesmaids. Please tell me I didn't forget?" she asked suddenly worried. Lily's face lit up with a bright smile that was answer enough to let Victoire know that she hadn't mentioned it to her. "I'm so sorry, my head is all a flutter at the moment. Please forgive me. I can't believe I missed out something so important." she said in a panic.

Victoire has always been very caring, kind and sensitive: This combination makes her a perfect Healer and if Lily ever needed her help she knew she could go to her. However she was also a worrier, if she thought she'd upset someone or hadn't managed to be as organised as she liked, she would worry about it for days. Lily ran to her and hugged her slowly calming down her elder cousin. Lily could feel Victoire's heartbeat slow to a normal speed, "I'd love to be a bridesmaid, I can't think of anything more wonderful." she said with obvious pleasure in her tone and Victoire steeped away from their embrace looking relieved.

Fleur watcher her daughter and niece interact with obvious pleasure: "Well, zee 're beautiful" Fleur said, changing the conversation back to the dresses.

Victoire nodded her magnificent head:"They are Lily, just come and see. Lucy are they ready?"

Lucy nodded, "I'll just get them. One sec: Accio" Lucy commanded and a silky gold dress floated through the air. Lucy winked at Lily who puzzled over the action but the reason for the wink was explained when a dress draped itself over her arms.

It was strapless and the fabric of the top part was crunched into delicate horizontal folds while the skirt part of the dress was really floaty. It had a diagonal cut so that it finished just above the knee on one side and mid-calf on the other. Lily recognised the dress: "We're all going to be wearing these?" she asked in amazement.

Victoire's face dropped as she worried over Lily's reaction: "don't you like them?"

"I do," she assured her and then added to herself: _I'm just surprised._ The reason she recognised the dress was because she had designed it. It was part of the formal range under her label of Lotus Flower.

"Zee are ov a new design, zee 'ole range ez beautiful" Aunt Fleur added.

"Thanks" Lily replied without thinking and Lucy shot her a warning look.

"Hmm?"

Lily recovered: "Thanks for the dress, it was very thoughtful of you. They really are beautiful and I just know that the colour would look great on everyone." She was careful not to say more although she was basically swelling with pride that her Aunt Fleur and Victoire admired her clothing line, she wished she could tell them that they were hers but she was afraid of what her family would say when they found out. She didn't want them to forbid her from working on new designs whilst she was still at school. Her grandma would be especially annoyed, she often brought up the fact that George hadn't gone back to do his NEWTS however he was doing well without them.

Lily did a lap of the store while her aunt and cousin talked to Lucy as she pack up the bridesmaid dresses. "Rose should be here by now, we're going to take off. Lucy said she'll drop off the broom with Louis during her lunch break so that you can floo back with Rose." Victoire told her when Lily joined them again. Lily agreed and reluctantly left the magnificent broom with Lucy, she was going to have to beg Louis to let her ride it after the wedding. She waved goodbye to them and left Madame Malkin's. She raced over to the Leaky Cauldron careful not to slip on the fine coating of snow that had settled on the cobbled street.

***

Lily entered the warmth of the Leaky Cauldron. "Lily! You have to save me" Delia shrieked as she launched herself at a dazed Lily who hadn't even finished closing the door.

"Why Delia?" Lily choked as Delia's arms tightened around her. They had been home less that twenty four hours and already Delia was wanting to get away from her parents, that wasn't like her.

"My parents are driving me crazy, they're acting all lovey dovey. It's creepy!" she complained.

Lily glanced over Delia's shoulder and smiled, "I see you have mistletoe here" Lily mused as she noticed the small bundles of foliage that hung from the beams. Delia's parents stood under one of those bundles. Hannah's arms were around her husbands neck and his were on her waist and they were kissing rather enthusiastically. Lily had to admit, old people kissing really creeps her out, not that they were actually old since they were in their early forties but that was still a lot older than herself.

"Yes, it's so disgusting. Ergh, they're at it again." She wailed as she noticed them kissing. "I think they're trying for another munchkin" Delia added in horror. Lily didn't think that was that horrible, she loved children and having come from a large family herself she was overjoyed at the news. At least now Ally would grow up with a sibling around her own age. Lily noticed that Ally was sleeping in the rocker which was levitating in the corner of the room away from the customers.

She turned her attention back to Delia, "I can't see it being a problem, we need to wait for Rose and I guess we'll have to check with her"

Just then a girl with bushy auburn hair stood up, "Sure you can join us" Rose told them. She had been sitting in a booth sipping a mug of warm pumpkin juice waiting for Lily to arrive.

Delia pulled Rose into a tight hug. It was awkward because she still had hold of Lily. She beamed gratefully at them, "Mum! I'm off out with Lily and Rose." she shouted over to her parents and tried to get out of the door before they responded but her attempts were in vain

"Ok, you should ask the girls over for dinner." Hannah called over, her arms were still wrapped around her husband.

"Err, do you wanna? I'd understand it you'd rather get back." Delia mumbled but her eyes shone beseechingly at them.

Lily and Rose exchanged glances, shrugged, then nodded. "We'd love to Hannah. We just need to tell our grandma so she doesn't make food for us." Rose told her. Delia squealed and hugged them both again.

"Don't worry girls, I need to speak to Arthur so I'll pass on the message for you, you just go out and enjoy yourselves." Neville called over.

"Thanks Prof- Neville." Lily corrected and they exchanged warm smiles.

"Come on let's go already." Delia said loosing all patience since she wanted to run away from her sentimental parents. She left the pub grabbing both girls by the wrists and dragged them behind her.

The girls went to Gringots first and Lily was relieved that she had a collection of gold there. Her clothes line had already made her a small fortune which came in handy when Christmas shopping for a family as large as hers, however she only had a few more presents left to buy.

They found this amazing jewellery shop on one of the side streets which made chokers with pendants on them relating to the Hogwarts houses. She bought a ruby coloured choker with a Lion-head pendent for Maggie and an emerald coloured one with a pendent of a snake curved into an 's' shape for Margarita. They also did watches and Lily bought a Slytherin one for Duanne she also bought Maggie a matching bracelet and a pair of earrings for something extra.

Rose and Lily got a joint present for Victoire. They got her a diamond embedded platinum locket which would go perfectly with her wedding dress so they didn't mind splashing out on it. Rose also got everything she wanted and Delia was just happy to be out and about.

They spent the whole afternoon shopping and come dinner time they returned to the Leaky Cauldron for a meal. They were joined by the rest of Delia's family as well as the hotel guests for a full turkey roast dinner. After the meal they spent ages fussing over little Ally and they enjoyed themselves, so much so that they were rather reluctant to leave when it was time to go back to the Burrow.

The next few days were spent doing homework, writing to her friends, posting out Christmas presents, working on some outfit designs and helping around the house while the rest of the household were at work. Lily did this all without complaining but was looking forward to Christmas eve when they all would be in the house together.

***

Lily woke up to the sound of laugher on the morning of the 24th December. The laughter was coming from outside. She recognise the laughs belonging to her cousins Hugo and Louis. She threw her covers off herself and rose out of the bed slipping on her slippers. The sun had not properly risen and the room was flooded with a soft glow. She checked her watch and it read 9:30. Lily was a little surprised. Louis tended to sleep past midday when he wasn't working.

She glanced around the room and it was spotless. Rose had obviously been unable to sleep last night and had tidied it up. Lily was such a heavy sleeper that she hadn't heard a thing. She shared the room with her cousins Rose and Lucy since they were closest to her age. Over the years the Burrow had been extended to over twice it's original size when her mother grew up there. This was so that there was room to accommodate all of Molly and Arthur Weasley's children and their partners as well as the grandchildren. Despite the renovations, the Weasley grandchildren still had to share room since there was so many of them.

Walking quietly across the room Lily passed Lucy and Rose as they slept. She doubted they'd be up any time soon since Lucy had promised to take full advantage of the holidays and Rose looked as if she had been up all the night. Lily crept out of the room making sure that she didn't disturb them. As she walked down the staircase she passed Kreacher who was busy hanging up bunches of mistletoe. Lily cringed, the plant was put up every year and every year the house was full of the oldies making out under them. Lily shuddered at the thought and saw Kreacher looking at her anxiously. He was wearing a brand new holly print table cloth and had a piece of red tinsel wrapped around his waist as a belt. "Good morning Kreacher, you're looking very festive today." she sang and waved to him.

His eyes glistened happily. "Good morning Miss Lily" he croaked. Lily smiled, they had finally come to a compromise. Lily wished that he would drop the title before her name but understood that he thought it was disrespectful, however 'Miss Lily' was a step up from being called 'little mistress'.

She continued with her descent of the stairs and heard voices coming from one of the second floor bedrooms. They belonged to her cousins Molly, Roxanne and Dominique and came from the bedroom they shared with Victoire. Their grandma was very traditional so Victoire wasn't allowed to share a room with Teddy while under her roof. He shared a room with James and Albus on the top floor of the seven story house. Lily found it rather amusing that they couldn't share the same room since they actually lived together in Teddy's house in Hogsmeade.

Victoire wasn't in the room with the other girls. Lily could hear her melodious voice coming from the kitchen mixed among the voices of several family members. She could hear lots of laughter, Lily loved that about the Burrow: when all of her family grouped there, it was never silent and almost always full of laughter. Suddenly she heard what sounded like a disagreement coming from the kitchen, she ran the rest of the way to the kitchen to see what the fuss was about.

Her Uncle Bill and Teddy sat at the kitchen table with amused smiles on their faces. Victoire sat on Teddy's knee and he had his arms around her. Their fingers were intertwined and their hands rested on her stomach. It was a very comforting sight. "Come dear, let me just give it a trim" Grandma Weasley said and Lily saw that she stood at one side of the table caressing her wand.

Lily's eyes shot to the other side of the table where her brother James looked rather distressed with his hands held up protecting his hair. "don't come near me, I'm growing it" he stressed.

"But it needs cutting, honestly how are you ever going to play quidditch to best" she insisted

"I tie it back for very game, there are girls on the team and they have longer hair than me" he explained his voice growing more and more desperate with every word.

"I still say it needs a good six inches taking off." and she started shuffleing around the table towards him. Lily chucked at the sight of her brother trying to avoid their seventy-three year old grandmother.

"Woman, keep that wand away from me or I'll hex you into oblivion." James barked and ducked behind Uncle Bill.

"James! Don't talk to grandma like that." Victoire chided and James winced.

"Sorry gran, but she is trying to attack me." he complained turning from his gran to Victoire and back to his gran again, "Honestly Gran, the chicks dig it long, it gives them something to er- Please Gran, I really want it long"

Molly Weasley I huffed "Honestly, Al didn't complain half as much, now he's a good boy, why can't you be more like him?" she retorted.

"Well he's used to looking like a retard and wouldn't know what a girl was if she came up and bit him on the nose, - Now I don't know why a girl would do such a thing so don't ask" James laughed and Lily heard Albus complain and her attention was drawn towards her other brother whom she hadn't noticed was in the room until now. He was sat on the kitchen counter and his hair was ridiculously short. Lily could imagine her parents reactions when they found out, they were going to freak. Their Grandma had practically given him a skinhead and he looked like a weird overgrown baby.

"Just look in a mirror!" James laughed and picked up a metal tray from the counter top and whizzed it at him. Albus caught it and examined his reflection and he paled instantly.

"Mum, just leave him ok. If he likes it long then he likes it long, you have to remember what I was like. You were constantly trying to cut my hair." Bill sighed.

"Your hair still needs a cut but I guess you're old enough to make your own decisions" Molly sighed eyeing her eldest sons long hair whilst tapping her want itching to cut it.

"I'm nineteen! I'm old enough to make my own decisions" James yelled in exasperation "honestly if I knew I was going to get this much hassle I would have stayed in my flat until tomorrow." Lily knew he wasn't being serious, he loved coming over to the Burrow for the holidays as much as everyone else did.

"Very well," Molly Weasley conceded but she didn't look happy about it. She turned to her next victim "Teddy dear would you like a hair cut?"

"No thanks, I can change it's length on demand!" Teddy reminded her kindly.

Molly looked surprised and sat in a vacant chair across from him. "Oh, so you choose to have it like that?"

"I love his hair" Victoire stated and she turned on his knee so she could rake her manicured fingers through his aqua locks. "He looks very dashing don't you think?"

Lily stepped into the kitchen deciding that it was time to let everyone know she was there, "Bet you wish you were a metamorphosis like Teddy!" Lily called out to the youngest of her brothers and all eyes turned to her.

Albus agreed with a short: "Hmmm. Don't suppose you know a spell or two that will grow it a few centimetres do you gran?" he asked. He was clearly worried about what he would look like in the wedding photos.

"Oh posh, it looks perfectly fine." she replied adamantly. Bill stood up and shot a meaningful look at his nephew for him to follow and they both left the room. Trust uncle Bill to save the day!

Lily passed around the kitchen table. "Where are you off to Lily?" James asked as he took some bacon out of the fridge. Now that he was safe from being scalped, he searched for a frying pan so that he could make a bacon butty for breakfast. Lily was eager to get away. She'd been a vegetarian since she could remember but the smell of cooking bacon always made her mouth water.

Lily squeezed behind the chair her grandma sat on and bent down to hug and kiss her on the cheek once she'd passed. She turned back to her brother who had now found a frying pan and replied: "I'm off outside"

Frowning, he scooped a knob of butter into the frying pan he's just found. "In your pyjamas?" he questioned.

Lily rolled her eyes at him and grinned appreciating his concern "I'll put my coat on _dad_." and she left the room without a backward glance.

Lily walked into the porch and saw her Aunt Fleur tending to Hugo and Louis' hands and arms. They were covered with gnome bites and she was spreading a thick stodgy pale green paste on them. They were too busy complaining to notice her. Lily winced, she'd been bitten by the large infestation of gnomes who lived in the garden. It wasn't pleasant. They'd obviously been gnome tossing this morning and that was what all the laughter had been about, but they hadn't been quick enough to avoid them when they fought back.

Lily picked her coat off the rack and noticed that the coats belonging to Hugo and Louis were covered in holes. The pesky creatures had bitten through their clothes! She made a mental not to avoid them and shrugged on her coat, exchanged her slippers for snow boots and slipped out of the house.

She was immediately greeted with a gush of icy cold air. She shivered and wrapped her coat tighter around her and acknowledged that it probably wasn't the best idea to not get changed before walking in a winter's morning but she couldn't be bothered to go back inside and change. The ground crunched as her boots met with the frost tipped grass. Voices carried on the wind and she walked around the back of the house.

The garden that was usually full of clutter, had been cleared so that clear plot of grass expanding beyond the outdoor seating area. Several of the adults were out there. Her grandfather sat in an old armchair reading the daily prophet with a blanket over him. A gold orb that looked like a balloon hovered over the garden table near him and gave off heat. Her father and Uncle Ron sat around a nearby table. They were busy discussing work whilst her Aunt Hermione was talking to Uncle Percy opposite them. She looked as if she was being bored to death. Lily smiled, Hermione was the only one who suffered his company when her droned on about work, even Aunt Audrey got fed up with his pretentious rants at times, but other than that he uncle was pretty cool.

However Lily had no intention of joining that conversation so she slipped into an empty armchair next to her grandpa. "Good morning grandpa" she chimed. He ruffled the newspaper in his hands and lowered it so that he could see her. His sapphire eyes glistening with amusement when he gazed upon her. "Afternoon Lily." he said rather loudly since his hearing wasn't as good as it used to be.

Lily grinned at his cheek. It was still a couple of hours away from being the afternoon. She spoke loudly enough for him to hear: "It's only ten o'clock Grandpa. Rose and Lucy are still asleep." He chuckled and resumed reading his paper. Lily shuffled her chair closer to him and curled up in the it as she looked out across the garden.

Her mother along with her Aunts Audrey and Angelina were putting up wards to repel the gnomes from the garden. They never used to bother but last year they'd caused havoc when they celebrated Uncle Charlie's 50th birthday. They had gnawed holes in the marquee they'd rented and the workers had gone ballistic when they came to collect it the next day. Since they were using the same company to rent the pavilions for the wedding they were taking extra caution so the same thing didn't happen again. It also didn't help to have the small creatures biting the ankles of the guests and everyone wanted everything to be perfect for Teddy and Victoire's big day.

Lily sat there for a while talking to her family and watching the gnomes that Louis and Hugo had thrown out of the garden in the early hours attempt to get passed the wards. Whenever they came in range of one of them, an invisible force would send them flying backwards. The creatures didn't even have the sense to turn away and find a different home for the next few nights, they kept trying to return to the garden and kept being flung back into the fields.

When Lily got bored of watching them she returned to the house. Uncle Charlie was in the lounge talking to Uncle George and Freddie and everyone else seemed to be elsewhere in the house. They were discussing their new inventions and the news that the sister store in Hogsmeade was ready to start up. Lily was particularly interested in what they had to say and she plopped onto the couch next to Freddie and listened to them. They had bought out Zonko's joke shop a while ago and had been doing it up in their spare time. Freddie would be moving to Hogsmeade to run it and Lily promised to take advantage of the fact that they were able to go to Hogsmeade every weekend if they wanted. With Teddy, Victoire and Freddie living there, there was no doubt that her family would visit more frequently.

In the early afternoon, the women got involved in preparing the food for tomorrow. Lily tried to help them but she was useless in the kitchen. Whilst the girls were in the kitchen, the boys were setting up the table and put all the presents under the tree in the living room. Lily was pleased but also slightly disappointed to see that Albus had managed to grow his hair back. She wished she had take a photo of him bald.

It was a blessing when Luna and Ralf Scamander came to visit in the afternoon since they were able to take a break from their chores. The couple brought their twin boys Lorcan and Lysander with them. They were hyperactive and always got in to mischief. Despite being a handful Lily had so much fun entertaining the toddlers who were going through their terrible two's. Lily quite liked watching them run wild and didn't mind their tantrums: it was just their way of expressing their anger and frustration because they didn't know how else to express it.

Just after the Scamanders left, Andromeda Tonks also came over to visit Teddy. In the evening they had a picnic style meal set out on the floor in the living room. At ten o'clock Lily's elder cousins went out clubbing. Lily and Hugo had to stay behind because they were under age. Hugo spent the evening studying and Lily balked at that idea, instead she sulked and spent the rest of the night on the phone to Jess.

***

Lily shot out of bed the moment she woke up "It's Christmas, It's Christmas!" she yelled excitedly and jumped on both Rose and Lucy, waking them up.

"But it's so early" Lucy complained groggily.

"I don't care, It's Christmas!" she yelled flicking on the lights before bounding out of the room. She raced up the stairs up to the next level and pounded on Hugo's bedroom door. "Wake up boys it's Christmas." Lily flung the door open. Hugo jumped out of bed wearing his Puddlemeer United Pyjamas. He span her around with the same excitement she shared "Merry Christmas" They sang. Freddie and Louis groaned and it was clear that they had drank too much the night before. Lily would have pitied them but they knew what day it was and knew they would be forced to get up early. "I'll run up to the top floor and make sure that everyone gets up, you start here and work your way down." Lily instructed Hugo.

While Hugo went to make a racket of his own, Lily climbed up the stairs to her brothers' room. She crept inside and let her eyes adjust to the darkness. When she was able to make out three sleeping forms she climbed onto the middle bed and jumped on the sleeping person she'd targeted as her victim.

He groaned when he was forced awake. "It's Christmas! Get up and lets go and open presents!" she screamed and the other boys woke up at the sound.

"It's six thirty" James protested as Lily jumped on him again. "We only got back about four hours ago."

"That's your own fault for staying out so late. It's time to get up."

"Go away Lily." Albus moaned and pulled his cover over his head. Lily jumped from James' bed to his and bounced on him until he promised to get up. When they were out of bed Lily moved to the next room. Since the boys had been forced to get up they made sure that no one else could sleep and they pounded on the doors as they passed.

Soon they were all up and gatherer in the living room ready to open the presents. James had poured those who were suffering a glass of the disgusting hangover remedy Albus had given her after the Halloween incident. Percy had voiced the bad idea of waiting until after the meal to open the presents. Everyone complained at that. Especially since they'd all been woken up so early.

The presents were distributed and there were lots of exclamations of thanks. Victoire was overjoyed with her locket. In the end Lucy and Molly had put money towards it so it was from the four of them. Things also got a bit crazy when James, Albus, Hugo and Lily received Premium Firebolts from their parents, and it didn't take long before the large pile of presents under the tree was demolished.

As well as the racing broom she got off her parents, she'd received a gorgeous pair of dark green dragon hide boots from Bill and Fleur. A hand knitted red jumper with a golden snitch on the front and the Gryffindor emblem on the back as well as some homemade cakes from her grandparents. A miniature dragon that walked around as if alive from Charlie. A fleecy white travelling coat from Percy and Audrey. A Large selection of new and improved Weasley Wizard Wheezes products from George, Angelina and Freddie and Hermione and Ron had given her a small black handbag that was deceptively large on the inside. Lily also had a wonderful selection of gifts from her cousins and friends.

"Er Lily, this last one is for you" Roxanne said and threw a long narrow box at Lily. It was wrapped in green paper and decorated with a silver ribbon. Lily stared at it when it landed in her lap. She had already got a present from everyone she'd sent one too.

"Who's it from?" Rose asked curiously. She held a heavy looking book in her hand which she'd got from her parents.

Lily turned the tag over and it was blank except for her name written in emerald coloured ink. "It doesn't say!" she said with a frown.

"Oh, Lily's got a secret admirer." Lucy squealed and she snatched the present off Lily and started shaking it trying to figure out what it was. Lily really hoped the thing wasn't breakable.

"You boys better be keeping an eye on our Lily when you go back to school" George said to Albus and Hugo. Lily heard him and gave a sigh of annoyance but then noticed he was joking.

"Uncle George, I can take care of myself. I'm not having them tailing me or I might intentionally hex a certain Slytherin and get expelled." she laughed.

"I want to see what it is." Molly said and then told her sister to pass the parcel back to Lily. All the girls leant forward and watched Lily intently.

She took the parcel and opened it. Magically suspended in the box so that it wasn't touching the sides was a single cream lily. It had a delicate green and silver bow tied around its stem. "it's a lily!" she announced to the onlookers.

"Oh, that's disappointing. I thought it was going to be something better than that." Roxanne complained and sunk back in her seat.

"Nah, I love it." Lily admitted. She'd always loved lilies but no one had ever bought her any because they thought it was too cheesy. Lily held the flower up and examined it. It was beautiful and obviously magical, she suspected it was probably one of the everlasting lilies sold at the florist at Diagon Alley.

It wasn't the most extravagant of the presents she'd received but it was the most mysterious. She had no idea who it was from and after a few minutes of examining it she took it upstairs along with the rest of her presents and put them in her room. She placed the lily in a vase on her bedside table.

In the early afternoon the house was clear of wrapping paper and everyone's presents had been but away. The whole family was then called to the dining room where Christmas dinner was served. Kreacher was even talked into sitting with them as they ate. Lots of food and drink was consumed. Lily and Hugo weren't allowed to sample anything stronger than Butterbeer but Lily didn't complain about that, and Victoire drank water claiming that her stomach was a little unsettled from the night before. They joked and laughed and enjoyed each others company.

After the meal Lily called Jess and whished her a Merry Christmas. They thanked each other for their presents. Jess had got Lily a small gold clutch bag and Lily had given Jess a silver necklace with and enchanted pendant of a dove that actually looked as if it was flying and it burst into song randomly.

She also rang Maggie and Delia since it was easier than sending them an owl. Maggie loved her selection of jewellery and she passed on the thanks from her brother and sister. Maggie had given Lily a pack of hairclips. They were made from gold and when you wore them the sparkled and let off a trail of glistening gold stars as she moved and they would be perfect to wear at a ball. Lily was grateful that the next two ball occurred on weekends so she would be able to attend them. Lily asked Maggie to thank Margarita for the make up and Duanne for the floral scented perfume he'd got her.

She also thanked Delia for the golden snitch charm bracelet she'd got her. In turn Delia was ecstatic with the pair of hot pink stilettos Lily had given her. They talked for half an hour before Lily was called back downstairs by the rest of the family. They drank lots, ate lots and played Christmas games until the early hours of the morning.

***

The Weasley and Potter clan spent Boxing day morning recovering from the activities of the day before. Since Lily and Hugo felt perfectly fine, they took their new brooms out for a test fly. They spent all morning in the air. However as soon as the hand of the grandfather clock in the kitchen moved to _Time to start preparations_ Molly Weasley Sr. flanked with Fleur, set the whole family to work on setting up for the wedding. Since Lily and Hugo were the only ones who weren't of age and unable to perform magic out of School, they were left with the more mundane jobs to do. Their task was to ensure that all the chickens were penned, the bed sheets pressed and that all the deliveries had arrived on time and to assist Kreacher with the general cleaning of the Burrow.

While they did this, their Aunts and Uncles set up two pavilions in the back garden that appeared a lot larger on the inside that they were on the outside. The first tent was set up as a chapel and could easily sit a couple of hundred people. The second tent acted as guest quarters. It was five stories high and each level have multiple independent apartments set aside for quests who would be staying the night of the wedding and had not made any plans for accommodation.

Lily's cousins had the giant task of making sure that each apartment was in pristine condition for their guests. It was lucky that there were a lot of them since it was such a mammoth task. Lily's brothers had the job of changing the colour of all the Christmas decorations to fit with the new colour scheme of white and silver. They all worked up until ten in the evening and were so exhausted that they retired for the night.

At seven o'clock the next morning. The family resumed their work. Many of the women spent most of the day in the kitchen working on the catering preparations whilst the men finished up outside. It was eight in the evening when everything was finally ready for the wedding the next day.

Lily collapsed on the sofa next to James. She'd been stressed out all day, everyone had been stressed out and tempers were high. There had been a few arguments when tempers flared beyond levels of reasonable control but everything was always forgiven minutes after the outbirsts. "Things would have gone a lot smoother if we had more time to plan the wedding." she complained with a yawn. "They're only young, what's the rush? I know they love each other but-"

James interrupted her before she could finish: "It's a bit obvious Lily" he grinned knowingly and this immediately got her curious. Arms folded and with a huge smile on her face she turned on him. "Well I don't see it oh mighty one. Please share with me what I'm too lowly to pick up on."

He laughed and rolled his honey brown eyes at her she nudged him to share but he made a gesture saying that he was going to keep his mouth zipped. Lily frowned and picked up a cushion and repeatedly hit him with it. He picked one up and used it to shield himself. Feathers flew everywhere and they laughed as they chased each other around the room. "Stop that Now!" Fleur screamed at them looking like an avenging angel as she stood in the doorway. "After all the work we've done today: You wreck the place in less than a minute." Lily and James paled under her furious gaze. They apologised and James quickly cleared up the feathers with a wave of his wand and Lily plumbed up the pillows and returned them to their rightful place on the couch. They then fled from the room before Fleur complained that their footsteps left treads in the carpet. "So what's so obvious" Lily whispered when the coast was clear.

"She's pregnant and that's why they've only given themselves such a short deadline" he replied nonchalantly.

_She was what? _Lily didn't believe that she'd heard him right because she couldn't believe how calm he was when he said that. All holiday they had been no mention of a baby being on the way. It just didn't make any sense at all, If people knew about it then surely Teddy would have told her. Lily froze on the spot and started gaping like a goldfish. James regarded her with amusement until she found her voice again. "What?! How do you know?"

He grabbed hold of her wrist and dragged her to the second living room where Teddy and Victoire stood talking. "Look how they stand and how protective he is of her." he whispered.

"Yeah…" she began. She didn't see anything unusual about the intimacy they shared. Just then Victoire's hand slipped to her stomach and Teddy covered it with his own. Lily recalled how they sat together the other morning in the kitchen when her grandma threatened to cut James' hair. She then remembered that they had flown to Diagon Alley instead of Apperating or using the floo network and both those methods of transport were considered controversial for pregnant women. On top of that, Victoire hadn't been drinking alcohol either. She gasped when comprehension dawned. "they haven't told anyone have they?" she whispered. James shook his head. She wondered what they would say if they knew James and now herself knew about their secret. Lily promised herself that she wouldn't talk about the revelation to anyone until the announcement was made. After all, James could be wrong! Lily doubted it but it still could happen.

They left them in peace. "I'm going to head upstairs, I need to practice my _nice_ face for tomorrow" Lily told him and headed for the staircase. It was James' turn to look clueless.

Lily frowned, surly he knew the reason why. "Why on earth do you have to do that?" he asked. Lily sighed, thinking that the cogs in his brain weren't turning at a normal pace because there was no way that her father hadn't told him about a certain family who would be attending the wedding. "The Malfoys are coming! Him and Teddy are cousins."

He gawked at her. Lily groaned because it was obvious now that this was the first time he'd heard about it. She instantly regretted being so blunt. "H-H-How?" he stammered and Lily knew he was asking her how she knew. She shrugged, "Dad told me."

"Dad!" James bellowed and stomped away from her in search of their father. Lily raced to her room which was next to her parents. She guessed her father would be in the next room and wated for James to catch up with him.

When Lily entered her room, Lily and Rose were already there. Lucy was deciding what accessories to wear with the dress tomorrow and Rose sat at the only desk in the room doing some school work. Both of them looked up at her and shouting could be heard from next door.

"What's that about?" Lucy asked. Rose had already returned her attention to her work. "James has just found out that the Malfoys will be attending tomorrow." Lily shrugged, hiding her own anxiety of the subject.

Rose spun in her chair surprised and Lucy dropped onto the bed. "Why?" they both asked in unison. Lily told the girls and they shared their opinions on the subject and wondered why they hadn't been warned sooner. As they spoke the argument got louder and the girls placed their ears against the wall trying to listen in.

"How wan you invite them knowing what he did to Albus and to Lily." James roared.

Lily knew that James was referring to the time when Malfoy had almost drowned her in her fourth year with regards to her but she had no idea what he was supposed to have done to Albus. Her father's response was too low for them to hear but neither girl had time to get a pair of extendable ears because they heard James' final response. "You better tell him dad before tomorrow. I don't want him finding out from anyone else."

Lily puzzled over what her brother had meant about Albus and Malfoy. She looked towards Rose but she shrugged acting as if she didn't know either. Lily wasn't convinced that that was the case but she let it go. She didn't want anymore conflicts before tomorrow. Answers could always wait.

**I'd really like to know what you guys think of this, I'm open to suggestions of how to improve each chapter**


	23. C23: Wedding, Reflections and Mistletoe

**I'm really sorry this took so long. So many things have happened and I've been so busy that I've been unable to work on this. I've rushed this chapter so that I can get it out but I hope you like it. I apologise for any spelling or grammar mistakes.**

**Thank you: CherryBlossomGirl22, Karla, brnnttebabe12, HermioneWeasleyFan, 0-MrDragon-0, hushpuppy22, jessleigh1981, Violet Strawberri, paratrooper321fa, a small free kiss in the dark, I Love Boys That Sparkle, The Crazy Fan Girl , kt potter 93, angelsea, Material Girl and everyone else kind enough to review.**

**Thank you all for being so patient, xXx**

**I'm not sure if this chapter flows with the rest of the story, it's been a while since I worked on it…**

* * *

Chapter 23 - Wedding, Reflections and Mistletoe

Curled up on the window seat careful not to crease her dress, Lily watched her brothers and male cousins show the guests to their seats as they arrived to witness the ceremony of Teddy and Victoire's wedding. Her eyes searched unconsciously for a particular guest and she was plagued with the sense of unease. After a period of time had passed and that particular guest had not yet arrived she released a sigh and her warm breath misted over the frosty window. She watched the mark fade and then turned her attention back to the room.

She sat in Victoire's bedroom at the Burrow which she shared with Dominique, Molly and Roxanne. It was beautifully decorated with antique furniture and if it wasn't for the beds levitating just below the ceiling at either side of the room, the room could have belonged to a muggle princess. The beds were levitated in order to free up the floor space as there was currently a lot more people in the room than the usual four.

Dominique stood in the far corner of the room by the vanity table applying a thick potion through Rose's hair to control the frizz. Rose was the last one of the bridesmaids' to get ready. Her cousins Molly, Roxanne and Lucy were watching their Aunt Fleur fuss over Victoire in the centre of the room.

Victoire was the very vision of beauty. Her pale skin, pale hair and white dress made her look angelic, of course the Veela blood running through her veins helped out. "You look stunning" Lily gasped as Fleur fastened the necklace around her daughters neck which Lily, Lucy, Molly and Rose had got her for Christmas.

A weak smile briefly flitted on Victoire's face. Lily moved towards her eldest cousin and upon closer inspection she could tell how nervous she was. This was so unlike Victoire, the ever confident one of the family. Victoire gulped and took a deep sigh, "I think I'm going to be sick" she admitted as her nerves got the better of her.

"'oney, you vill be fine." Fleur assured her daughter who was suddenly growing more pale by the second. Victoire didn't look convinced and looked to Lily for support. Lily instinctively offered Victoire her hand which was all that she required. Fleur went over to the dresser and retrieved a jewellery box from the middle draw. As she flipped open the lid Lily could see that what ever was in it emitted a soft glow. Fleur made her way back to her daughter carrying the box and the girls moved closer to Victore being attracted by the box's contents.

"'ere, wear zis. I wore eet ven I married your father, eet belonged to eez Aunt Marge and 'as been in zee family for generations."

Victoire trusted herself to look and released Lily's hand. Victoire's eyes widened in awe at the sheer beauty of the tiara. "It's beautiful, is it goblin made?" she asked as Fleur pulled it out of the box and places it on Victoire's head.

Fleur confirmed that the tiara was indeed goblin made and then took a step back to get a clearer image of her daughter. "Wow, don't you look a vision." she exclaimed and a tear trickled down Fleur's cheek.

After a few minutes of everyone exclaiming how beautiful she was, Hugo's head appeared through the open door. "They're ready for you." he announced and there was a chorus of shrieks of excitement from the girls as they made their last minute touches to their appearance. Lily's cousins apart from Victoire all wore the same styled gold dress with their hair in identical stylish up-dos. Delicately placed around their shoulders were golden cloaks made from the same material to prevent them for getting cold.

"I will go and make sure your father ees waiting for you." Fleur said after telling her daughter just how proud she was of her and handing her a bouquet of white and gold roses.

Once Fleur left the room the sheer volume of Victoire's anxiety became apparent. "I don't think I can do this" she confessed.

"Of coarse you can" Dominique retorted in a way that said 'pull yourself together' but in an affectionate way.

Victoire stared at her, "I can't, everything is going way to fast, I really don't think I can go through with this."

"What are you saying Vic?" Dominique asked her sister and the others started to murmur in confusion.

"She's not saying anything girls," Lily told them in what she hoped was a reassuring way and she stepped forwards. "She'll be down in a few minutes I'd just like a word with her alone if that's ok" she asked. Dominique seemed a little put out with being shooed by her youngest cousin. She stared at Victoire, then at Lily and Victoire again until she finally relented and she left the room. Once Dominique made it clear that the two were to be left alone for a while, the others made their way downstairs.

When it was only the two of them in the room Victoire turned to Lily, "Lily I know how you must be feeling, you spent so much time imagining this dress for me and now I-" she began but Lily started shaking her head.

She placed her hands on her cousins shoulders and looked her straight in the eye. "Victoire just take a deep breath. The dress in not important, what is important is you and Teddy."

"I know I-" Victoire said shakily but Lily interrupted her.

"You love him right?" she asked gently but forcefully.

"Yes but-"

"Just think of him. He loves you so much and is ready to start a family with you. There are no things more important than love and family." Lily told her.

Victoire sighed, "I know that," she began but then the insinuation in Lily's words sunk in, "wait - you know?" she asked in a panic.

Lily nodded, "Yes, I'm not going to tell anyone, James picked up on it and told me but I asked him this morning to keep things quiet. It's ok, trust me." she said reassuringly and Victoire began to calm down.

She took a deep breath and look rather ashamed of herself when she admitted: "I'm just so scared."

Lily hugged her cousin as tightly as she could without creasing her dress, "You are going to be a great mum and a fantastic wife, Teddy's a lucky man." she told her and she meant it. Teddy was besotted with Victoire and had been for years. Lily had never been happier for him than the day she found out that Victoire felt the same way about him.

"I'm the one who's lucky." Victoire admitted with a smile and Lily smiled back.

"Then are you ready?" she asked and Victoire nodded in response. Lily beamed at her "Good. Lets get this show on the road." she said and both girls left the room to join the other bridesmaids waiting downstairs. Victoire's father and the boys where there as well, waiting to get the procession going before Victoire walked down the aisle with her father.

Uncle Bill took Victoire's hand and they exchanged words whilst the girls all lined up. Dominique linked up with Teddy's best friend and best man Henry Jenkinson and blushed. Lily noticed this but made no indication that she had. Behind them, Loius and Roxanne took their positions followed by Fred and Molly, James and Lucy, Albus and Rose and finally Lily and Hugo. The music began and then Dominique and Henry led them to the pavilion where the guest sat and Teddy stood waiting.

When Lily entered the tent she saw Teddy standing at the front of the Marquee dressed in grey. She was happy to note that he'd left his hair aqua instead of changing it to a more fitting colour for the occasion. Teddy just wasn't Teddy without his bright aqua locks. As she walked up the aisle linked with Hugo, she kept her eyes transfixed on Teddy and saw the love painted so blatantly on his face when he looked upon Victoire, whom she knew was right behind her.

When she reached the front, Hugo left to stand with the other men at Teddy's right and she went to stand next to Rose and the other bridesmaids' near the spot reserved for Victoire. She heard many gasps of amazement from the crowd and a few sobs which she suspected came from the Weasley women, grown ups could be so weird sometimes.

"Ladies and Gentlemen" A small stout witch sang, "We are gathered here today to celebrate the union of two faithful souls…"

Lily noticed that Victoire had regained all of her confidence by just looking into Teddy's face. Lily felt a longing for someone to look at her in that way.

"Do you Teddy Remus Lupin, take Victoire Gabrielle Weasley…?"

Lily saw that both her Aunt Fleur and Grandma were sobbing silently into little golden hancichiefs as they watched the ceremony.

"Then I now declare you bonded for life" The witch announced and a shower of golden hearts sprinkled down on the newly weds and the crowd burst into a round of applaud.

***

After the ceremony Grandma Weasley and Aunt Fleur wave their wands and the chairs levitated off the ground and arranged themselves around tables gathered at the edges of the pavilion. This meant that a large dance floor formed in the centre. Victoire and Teddy moved forwards for their first dance as Husband and wife and Uncle George and Freddie set of a beautiful indoor firework display of two doves. They soared around the room and then landing on a heart shaped perch before fading away The crowd oo-ed and ahh-ed and applauded the display.

After the first dance the other guests paired off and joined the dance floor. Dominique danced with the best man and Lily saw that her brother James was dancing with Amelia Wood. Lily danced with Carlton Krum, the son of a world famous quidditch player and friend of Victoire. As she turned about the dance floor her eyes landed for the first time on the guest she'd been dreading to bump into. He looked really smart all dressed in black and his platinum hair had been cut short. He was dancing with one of the part Veela relations and when he noticed Lily staring at him, he smirked especially for her. Horrified with being caught staring, Lily forced herself to look away and continued to dance.

Lily had a different dance partner for each song but it soon got to the point where she didn't fancy another round of dancing. Her toes where sore from being trodden on by her latest dance partner Isaiah Wood. Amelia's elder brother may be graceful in the air but on the ground he has two left feet. She sent her cousin Lucy a warning grimace as she stepped forward and allowed Isaiah to take her hand and lead her onto the dance floor.

Lily shrugged off her curiosity as to why her cousin hadn't heeded her warning and picked up a tray of champagne. That way people would see that she was busy and wouldn't ask her to dance. She weaved between the tables offering anyone who looked her way a drink. When the tray was almost empty she walked by a woman sat alone by one of the tables. Her hair was a honey blonde and she had angelic facial features. She seemed somewhat familiar but Lily couldn't place where she'd seen her. "Would you like a glass of Champagne?" Lily asked lowering the tray enough for her to take one of the three remaining glasses.

The woman smiled gratefully and reached for one of the champagne glasses, "I'd love one thank you" she took the closest one and placed it on the table in front of her "and I'll take the last two for my son and husband for when they get back. If that's ok?" she asked.

"It is yes," Lily said with a smile and offered the other glasses to her, "To be honest my arm was starting to ache carrying this tray around." Lily admitted and the woman gave her a warm smile.

"Why don't you sit down dear." the woman said and motioned to the seat next to her. Lily did as asked there was something about the kindness in the woman's eyes that made her want to obey. Her sky blue eyes looked her up and down examining the bridesmaid dress she wore. She took a sip of Champagne and asked: "Are you one of the bride's cousins? You look beautiful in that dress."

Lily's blush was automatic, "Thank you and yes Victoire is my cousin, I'm Lily!"

The woman held out her hand and Lily shook it "It's a pleasure to meet you Lily my dear, you may call me Astoria."

"So what did you think of the ceremony Astoria?" Lily asked conversationally.

Astoria took a sip of Champagne before answering in her calm, soothing voice "It was lovely, the bride looked beautiful and that dress was the best I've seen on a bride. It looked as if it was created just for her."

Lily face lit up with delight, "Thanks, I designed it specifically for Victoire and my cousin Lucy made it, she works and Madame Malkin's."

Astoria looked pleasantly surprised: "That's really impressive, how old are you dear?"

"I'll be sixteen in February."

"Ah so you'll know my son. He's a little older than you though." Astoria started looking around the crowd and Lily found her eyes drifting that way as well, curious to know who her son was. Her eyes lay on a certain blonde boy heading her way and Lily had the uncomfortable feeling that she now knew where she'd seen Astoria before: on Platform 9 ¾ when she was ten years old "Here he is!" Astoria announced confirming Lily's fear. "Scorpius dear, come and join Lily and I." she instructed her son. Scorpius walked towards then and gave Lily a stiff nod before he took the seat on the other side of his mother. Lily gave him a polite smile in return.

Astoria gazed upon her son and straightened the collar of his robes "Did you know she actually designed the dress the bride was wearing but of course that wouldn't interest you honey, what do you care about fashion." she sighed forgetting herself and turned back to Lily, "I miss having girls around the house: I grew up with two sisters and I do miss the company sometimes. You must love having such a large family."

Lily forced herself to ignore the blonde male who listened to their conversation with a smirk on his lips. She wasn't going to ignore Astoria because of who her son was and Lily realised that she genuinely liked her. "I do most of the time but it can get a bit overwhelming at times. I love it at Christmas though, It's the only time that we all gather together for a length of time. My Uncle Charlie live in Romania most of the year." Lily explained and Astoria really seemed interested in what she had to say. They talked for a while under the gaze of silver-grey eyes until Astoria finally made a move to leave.

"Right well, I'll go and find your father," she told her son and then added to herself: "I think he's talking to Mr Potter. I swear if they're talking business I'll-." she stopped herself and rested her hand on Lily's shoulder. She gave it a gentle squeeze, "It's been a pleasure meeting you Lily dear and I'll keep an eye out for your future work."

"Thank you Astoria." Lily said gratefully, she was genuinely sad that she was leaving. Mostly because she enjoyed her company but partly because she didn't want to be left alone with her son. She would make up and excuse and go find someone from her family to talk to. However these plans were ruined by Astoria's next words to her son: "Right well you stay here and keep this lovely girl company."

"Will do mum." he replied affectionately and kissed his mother once on both cheeks. As Astoria walked away Malfoy sat back down. All Lily wanted to do was walk away in case they started an argument. The last thing she wanted was to cause a scene since Teddy and Victoire would never forgive her. However she found herself unable to disappoint Astoria Malfoy.

Malfoy was the first to break the silence that stretched between them. "So you seemed to get on well enough with my mother, she's quite taken with you. She's not that easily impressed."

Lily blushed at the rare occurrence of a compliment coming from Malfoy's lips. It made her uncomfortable and she immediately went on the defensive, "I didn't know she was your mother. I didn't mean to intrude." she explained quickly and then added with confusion, "she does know you hate me doesn't she? She knows we're always erm-"

Malfoy laughed at where the conversation was heading. "No, she doesn't actually" he admitted and this puzzled Lily. She wondered how he managed to keep that information from his mother but she was determined not to ask. There was another pregnant pause before Lily asked awkwardly not meeting his eyes, "So how've you enjoyed the holidays so far?"

Another smirk formed on his face and he appeared amused by her attempts to have a civil conversation. He leant back in the chair taking a comfortable position "It's been-"

Malfoy never got to finish the sentence. At that moment James Potter reached the table Lily and Malfoy sat at. "What are you doing here?" he demanded glaring at the pale haired boy.

"James!" Lily exclaimed horrified by her brother's behaviour. Her eyes searched the crowd to ensure that his outburst hadn't attracted anyone's attention. Amelia Wood was the only person who seemed to notice what was going on and she was heading in their direction. Lily was grateful to have someone to look to for support.

"I'm just being polite Potter, maybe you should try it sometime." she heard Malfoy tell her brother and she let out a groan. Malfoy was not going to let this drop, he was going to provoke her brother until they caused a scene.

She reached out and grabbed her brother's arm, "James leave it. Don't make a scene." she pleaded but he paid no attention to her.

"You come near her again and I'll turn you into the ferret you are." he warned the Slytherin.

At the threat Malfoy tensed and got up out of his chair. The hostility and animosity the pair had from each other radiated from them. Lily had the feeling that their hatred for each other far surpassed the hatred she felt for Malfoy and this was something she hadn't been aware of before this moment. "If you try and turn me into an animal Potter, I will find ways to torture you and you'll regret the day you met me." Malfoy spat.

James' eyes narrowed and he was not deterred by the other boys threat. "Just stay the hell away from her." he growled as Amelia finally reached the table. Her hand pressed against James' chest in an attempt to sooth him.

Malfoy sneered and something dangerous glistened in his icy eyes. "How can I when she throws herself at my best friend every chance she gets?" he spat.

James' face turned red and Lily felt sick to her stomach. "I do not!" she gasped but something lingered in the back of her mind. Was that really how people perceived her?

James' arm jerked as he made a move to punch him. Both girls held him back. "James come on lets go." Amelia suggested and Lily helped her direct him away from the Slytherin.

When they were away from the other guests James turned to his little sister still looking murderous. She knew all the blood had drained from her face and she felt unsteady on her feet but she managed to say "Please just leave it James. It's Teddy and Victoire's wedding, this isn't the time or place."

"He shouldn't have said that, are you ok?" James asked looking concerned by her paleness.

"Yeah, I just need some space right now." she said and shuddered feeling the chill. She wrapped the cloak tightly around herself and headed for the exit. Lily had to get away from the guests immediately. She was not going to cause a scene in front of them whether it be punching Malfoy in the nose or to burst into tears. She was liable to do either if she stuck around much longer.

Lily left the pavilion as quickly as she could without running. As she stormed past the drinks table she was tempted to grab a bottle of champagne but after her experience of Halloween she quickly made the decision to grab the non alcoholic option instead.

***

The burrow was empty as everyone was outside taking part in the celebrations. Lily thought about sneaking upstairs but no doubt someone would come looking for her eventually. So instead she headed into the kitchen to hide in the hiding place she'd successfully used as a child. She climbed under the kitchen table thankful that the table cloth draped to the floor so that she was concealed under it. There she sat drinking out of the bottle and brooding about what Malfoy had said about her.

Lily didn't know how much time had passed before she heard footsteps as somebody enter the house. She curled up her legs so that they didn't stick out from under the cover of the table cloth and held her breath hoping to remain unnoticed. The person walked across the kitchen floor and came to rest by the table edge. Lily could see the persons shadow on the cloth and the toes of a man's set of stylish dragon-hide shoes poked under the cloth and was inches away from touching her legs. The table groaned in protest as the man rested both his hands on the tabletop and distributed some of his weight on it. Lily remained as silent as she could frozen in place.

Moments passed without a sound and Lily began to think that her hiding place was safe. All of a sudden there was a heavy sigh followed by an all too familiar voice asking her a question."What are you doing under there?" Lily's heart thumped erratically in her chest but she remained silent hoping that if she ignored his question he would leave. She did not want to have to speak to him of all people.

There was another silent pause before he chuckled. He bent down and raised the table cloth so that he could see her. Lily glared back at those silver-grey eyes. "What does it look like?" she snapped clutching the almost empty bottle to her chest.

He smirked eyeing her, "I can't see how it's a good idea for you to get drunk at your cousin's wedding. All your family are here."

Lily had the urge to wipe that sneer off his face. How dare he accuse her for being drunk. She'd had only one sip of champagne when they toasted the bride and groom and not a drop more. "I'm not drunk it's a vanilla soft drink my Grandma makes" she snapped and sent him another venomous glare.

He laughed not being discreet with the fact that her actions amused him. "Then come out from under the table." he sneered.

"Why? So you can throw insults at me again?" Lily half shouted and scowled when he rolled his eyes at her.

"I can quite as easily throw insults at you while you're under the table and besides, it was your brother's fault: He's always had a way of making me say things I don't intend to." he replied nonchalantly but there was something flickering in the depth of his silver-grey eyes that made her suspect that there was a deeper meaning to his words.

Lily wasn't about to let that comment go, especially when it involved her brother. She recalled what her brother had said last night: that Malfoy had done something to Albus. "What's that supposed to mean?"

Malfoy stiffened finally realising that he'd said too much. "Nothing, it was before you arrived at Hogwarts."

"If you didn't want to talk about it then you shouldn't have brought it up." she complained through gritted teeth still refusing to move.

"Just get out from under the table." he snapped without hiding his frustration.

Lily's temper flared to match his, "Don't order me about in my own house."

"It's your grandparents house." Malfoy pointed out rather unhelpfully.

Lily grimaced and muttered "A technicality that's all." To Lily's dismay Malfoy started laughing. His deep hearty chortles filled the room and she cringed at the unfamiliar sound. She tried to get up but her high heels hindered her. His laughter grew louder as he watched her attempts to get to her feet.

"Stop laughing at me." she complained and under her breath she added, "Figures you wouldn't have the manners to help me up."

He heard this and he offered his hand to her. "Take my hand." he sighed and she glared at it.

He chuckled saying "damned if I do, damned if I don't." In the end he grabbed hold of her hand and helped her up by yanking her to her feet.

"You are impossible." she complained and she straightened the crinkles out of her dress.

"Well isn't that the pot calling the kettle black." he smirked which earned him another glower.

Lily's anger suddenly disappeared and she asked quietly "Does Duanne really think of me that way?"

He suddenly looked pained and Lily was annoyed with herself for being so vulnerable with him but she needed to know if Duanne thought she was throwing herself at him. She also felt ashamed by her behaviour for it to be perceived in that way. Malfoy sighed and finally admitted: "No, he actually likes you." He said it in a way that made it obvious that he wasn't happy in his best friends choices.

"You say that as if it's a bad thing. Am I that repulsive that I'm not good enough for your friend?" she asked before she could stop herself.

He chuckled once more but this time it didn't irritate her. "No, that's not it." he sighed.

"Then what?" she asked curiously but he avoided her gaze. He stiffened and his eyes were transfixed by something above their heads. "What are you looking at anyway?" she asked without looking up herself.

The slightest trace of a smile was evident on his lips when he answered with only one word: "Mistletoe"

"What? Oh crap" Lily's body tensed as the words sunk in. She tried to move but she felt as if she was caught in a full body bind curse. Malfoy took a step towards her and her eyes widened with horror for what was going to happen. He had to know that she didn't care about the silly tradition of kissing under the mistletoe. He had to know that he was free to leave her but his hand was suddenly cupping her cheek. She wanted to finch at his touch but she was still frozen in place. Lily felt as if everything was moving in slow motion. Malfoy was getting closer to her and she was powerless to stop him. Why was he so persistent in giving her kiss under the damn mistletoe?

Malfoy's lips were a hair breath away from hers when a deep calm voice came from just outside the room. "Son, There are a few people I'd like you to meet while we're here. Oh!" the voice stopped abruptly. Malfoy straightened and Lily managed to unfreeze herself. They both looked at the surprised figure of Draco Malfoy standing in the doorway.

Lily's eyes shot back to Malfoy's face to study his expression. He wasn't looking at her, his eyes were on his father. At first he seemed irritated by his father's sudden appearance but then that emotion faded. He shrugged, "Coming Father" he said obediently and followed him out of the room without a backward glance at her.

Lily blinked stupidly as Scorpius glided away from her. She had no idea what on earth he had been thinking of and was mortified that he had almost kissed her. However, underlying her horror festered a dangerous emotion. She was disappointed that they had been interrupted and was suddenly curious about what it would be like to be kissed by him.

Her legs wobbled slightly and she had to lean against the table she'd previously been hiding under. She slapped her cheeks to force her to come to her senses when she felt them sting. One thing was obvious, she really hated Malfoy. Whether that was because he had the gall to try and kiss her or the fact that something inside her wanted him to kiss her, she didn't care. All that mattered was that she hated him.

* * *

**And that's the end of another chapter I'm sorry it took so long, things have been very hectic lately.**

**I'd love to know what you thought of it and I'm always willing to accept advice to improve my story.**


	24. C24: Changes

**Thank you: pychic pixie, runningYODA, Sandra Starck, LunaticLily, theheardthrob, angelsea, Hollandtheamoeba (You've changed your name!), Rencsike, jessleigh1981, cherryVanillaCoke16, kt potter93, geolke and cullenequalsfag for all your kind words and advice. Also, thank you for reviewing! XD**

**I've sort of changed where this story is heading and I really hope you like the direction I'm going to take it.**

Chapter 24: Changes

Lily finished packing the last of the contents of her trunk. She couldn't believe the Christmas holidays were at an end. She lay on her bed and checked the time. It was still early in the morning and her cousins and the rest of her family were still downstairs eating breakfast. She picked up a stray Ancient Runes textbook she'd purposely left out and began reading it to pass the time until they were due to leave to Platform 9 and ¾.

After Teddy and Victoire left on their honeymoon Lily had resolved to change and she had made it her new years resolution. It was about time that she grew up and concentrated on her work. Although her behaviour had improved so much over the last few months under the threat of expulsion, as well as concerns from her brother and Rose, there was still room for improvement. She decided that her conflicts with Malfoy were not worth the hassle as her OWLs were slowly looming ahead. Although she knew she wouldn't be using them in her future career plans, she didn't want to let her family down. So instead of sailing through on pure natural talent she was going to study hard and strive to achieve an outstanding in all of her subjects. Not even the brain of the bunch, Rose, had achieved all O's since she received an E grade in Defence Against the Dark Arts.

As Lily turned the page of the textbook and read on, she heard Rose and Lucy enter the room. Without looking up to check, Lily knew they were staring at her with confused expressions on their faces. Rose was slowly becoming accustomed to the new Lily but as Lucy had had to return to work, she'd missed seeing the transformation before now. Both girls walked to the other side of the room as Lily. "What's up with Lily?" Lucy asked Rose in a hushed whisper. The edge of Lily's mouth twitched as she tried not to smile and she continued to read.

She heard Rose reply in the same dampened tone: "I have no idea, she's been like this all week." Then she heard Lucy gasp. "It's so un-Lily-like, it's unnatural" Lucy stated. Lily wasn't sure if she was supposed to overhear the conversation or if they thought they were being quieter than they actually were. She slowly raised her eyes up from the text and gazed in their direction. "I can hear you, you know" Lily stated simply and the two girls flushed with the embarrassment of being caught. They definitely were under the impression that they were being quieter than they were.

The two gaped at her with open mouths for a few seconds and then Lucy finally took a few steps forward and perched on the edge of the bed at Lily's feet. Rose also came forward and leant against Lily's bedside table. Lily's eye flickered between the pair of them as she waited for one of them to speak. It was Rose who was the first to oblige. "Sorry. We were just wondering why you are acting so…" It was as if Rose couldn't find the right word to finish with. It was lucky that Lucy finally found her tongue and added "…normal".

Lily burst out laughing and her cousins looked at her as if she's gone insane. It was true that normal for everyone else was rather odd for Lily, but the worried expressions on her cousins faces where just too much for her to keep a straight face. Once the laughter subsided Lily closed the textbook and shrugged. "I'm sixteen soon and what with my OWLs coming up I thought it was about time I grew up a bit. I'm just following your advise Rose." she pointed out and Rose began to nod her head slightly. "I'm going to try and stay out of trouble just like you asked me to!" she explained with conviction. Malfoy's words to her at the wedding had no bearing on Lily's turnabout, no bearing whatsoever. That was what she had told herself multiple times over the last week and she was sticking to it.

Rose smiled, "I'm glad you are following my advise Lily but this is too bizarre," she sighed.

"Yeah, you're scaring us." Lucy added for dramatic effect.

"Oh, shush." Lily joked, adopting the manner of their grandmother. This wasn't a good start for the new Lily if her own family thought she'd gone mad. "So do you know what time Teddy and Victoire get back?" she asked, changing the subject.

Rose rolled her eyes and replied in a haughty tone, "They're on their honeymoon."

Lily smiled in return. "I know that, but they are expected back today." Rose then shrugged as she didn't know the answer.

"I think they are due back this evening, why?" Lucy replied thoughtfully.

Lily felt slightly disappointed, " I was just hoping to catch them before I went to Hogwarts, that's all." She sighed.

"That's ok, you'll get to see them in Hogsmeade" Lucy offered and Lily nodded with agreement. That was true, and what with Freddie moving to the Weasley Wizard Wheezes at Hogsmeade she would probably see her family a lot this term. "You'll visit wont you?" Lily asked her cousin in a hopeful tone that couldn't be missed. Lucy moved to Lily's side and hugged her tightly as they sat on the bed. "Of course I will." she told her reassuringly.

There was a sudden knock on the door and Hugo's head poked through the crack, "The cars are ready girls." he told Lily and Rose and then quickly disappeared around the door. Rose then sent the trunks downstairs using her wand and Lily caged Padfoot who had been curled up under her bed. Lily couldn't wait until she was able to go magic outside of Hogwarts. Things would be so much easier and she wouldn't have to rely on other people. Rose and Lily both went downstairs and said their goodbyes to there family. Harry and Ron ended up driving the students to the station and both James and Louis decided to see them off in person. Lily thought that was a little odd but she didn't question their motives.

The drive to the station didn't take long and soon they were pushing their trolleys all laden with their luggage down the platform alongside the scarlet steam engine. Lily said her goodbyes quickly and then hurried to the prefect compartment. Her friends were already seated in the compartment which was predominantly occupied by the Slytherin prefects. Lily saw Malfoy tense at her arrival but she paid no attention to him after that. Her eyes then flickered guiltily to Duanne. She didn't know what she was going to do with him. She liked him, but she didn't know how he was going to fit in with the 'new Lily' plans. Also spending time with Duanne came with the risk of seeing Malfoy more often. He was one person she was going to try and avoid whenever possible. She would definitely have to work something out because the last thing she wanted to do was hurt him.

Luckily Lily didn't have much time to dwell on such matters. Jess was suddenly shrieking her name and almost tackled her to the ground when she flung her arms around her. "You can't believe how much I've missed you!" she squealed and then more seriously added, "You have to promise me that when we break up for Easter you will not leave me alone with my parents, not even for a day." she told Lily in a slightly desperate tone.

"What did they do?" Lily began to ask but Delia and Maggie joined the group hug. "I'll tell you all together after I've made my rounds. We've got the first shift this time but then we'll have the rest of the journey to ourselves" Jess explained referring to her prefect duty. The girls all made sure that all their things were securely stowed away and Lily let Padfoot out to stretch his legs. He began strutting around the compartment just as the 5th year prefects left to do their duties and the train set off.

Without her friends, Lily was alone with five Slytherins, one of which was heading towards her. Duanne smiled awkwardly and sat beside her. "Hey" he greeted her simply and she did the same. "I was thinking that maybe you and I should spend some time together, you know, without the others around." he blurted out quickly.

Lily's stomach clenched, "Wont you be too busy with your NEWTs?" she asked to avoid replying with a right out no.

He shrugged in response, "We could revise together or something and then chat on our breaks." He suggested lamely, but Lily didn't think that was a ridiculous idea. He'd already done his OWLs and she knew a lot of NEWT level Potions work so the pairing could be beneficial to both. Duanne picked up on her interest in the idea and added, "I just think that since we're going to the valentine's day ball together we should at least attempt to get to know each other better. You are still coming to the ball with me aren't you?" he asked slightly worried that she'd say no.

Lily smiled recollecting the first day she'd ventured over to the Slytherin table, "I'd like that." she smiled and he beamed at her before returning to his seat with the other Slytherins. Lily picked up a book from her hand luggage. This time it was a Defence against the Dark Arts textbook and she began to read. She was pleased to find a solution that would suit them both. This way they would be able to get to know each other properly before they entered into any kind of relationship.

A while later Maggie, Delia and Jess returned from their duties. There were a few raised eyebrows when they noticed that Lily was reading a textbook instead of doodling clothes designs in her sketchbook, but they didn't comment upon it. However, now that her friends were back, Lily put away her work and looked expectantly at Jess, "So what's this little issue you have with your parents that you failed to mention in our phone conversations?" she asked curiously.

Jess smiled and wafted her hair out of her face for dramatic effect. "Girls, I'm a lesbian!" she announced. There were several cried of shock and even a few of the Slytherin students turned their way suddenly interested in their conversation.

"No you're not" Lily scoffed. She didn't think that there was anything wrong with being a lesbian but she knew Jess and she definitely was not one.

Jess grinned and nodded her head in agreement. "Apparently I am, according to my mother" Jess continued.

"What?" Delia gasped, "How did that even arise?"

"Well, since all I talk about is you three and I don't mention any boys to my mum when we talk about school, she decided I was a lesbian. I even tried to tell her that I wasn't, but she went on this rant where she was telling me that it was ok and I could be a lesbian if I wanted and she didn't love me any less…" When she finished her story they were all in hysterics.

"Your mum is priceless" Lily chuckled and wiped the tears from her eyes.

"Just who did your mother think you were…er, dating?" Maggie asked when she eventually caught her breath.

"Delia here!" Jess replied still laughing. The girls laughed and joked and talked about anything that popped into their heads until they arrived at Hogsmeade station and completed their journey to Hogwarts.

***

Upon entering the Great Hall Lily's eyes immediately brushed over the staff on the top table and she stopped dead. Delia, Jess and Maggie whom were all walking slightly behind her failed to stop in time to avoid the collision. The all made ungracious grunts as they piled into the back of her. "Watch it Lily" they all complained but Lily remained transfixed on the top table. Baffled, their eyes travelled to the top table to see what had attracted Lily's attention. They in turn, just stopped and stared as the other students had to swerve around them in order to move into the hall.

"You never told us James was coming back to Hogwarts!" Maggie exclaimed after several moments passed. Lily made a humph noise. Trust Maggie to only comment on the appearance of James. The fact was that there were four new additions to the staff table. All of which she knew very well. James Potter sat to Professor Longbottom's right and to his left sat Louis Weasley. Then at the other end of the table sat next to Madame Bones was Victoire Lupin and next to her, Teddy!

"I…I…" was all that Lily managed to say.

Her friends' attention swiftly moved from the top table to Lily. "Oh my god Lily, don't tell us you didn't know." Jess asked in surprise.

"I…I…" Lily was beginning to feel really foolish about not being able to string a few words together to make a response.

"Merlin, fancy them hiding that from you all Christmas, did you really not know?" Maggie gushed and Lily still stood their stammering.

Delia was the one to notice that most of the students were now at their seats. "We better take our seats or Professor Croston will have our heads." she suggested and Maggie had to literally push Lily to the Gryffindor table as she had not recovered from her shock.

Underneath the shock, Lily knew it wasn't a bad thing having them at Hogwarts, in fact she was quite pleased to know they were there. The problem was that they never mentioned it to her before she returned to Hogwarts.

Lily sunk into the seat between Maggie and Rose and across from Albus and Hugo. They exchanged puzzled looks and Lily began to feel a little better knowing that she wasn't the only one who'd been left in the dark about their relatives plans in returning to Hogwarts. Lily had no idea why they were here, Victoire was a healer and worked at St Mungo's, Teddy at the Ministry and both James and Louis played quidditch professionally. It just didn't make sense that they were here at Hogwarts. Teddy caught her staring at him and he smiled, Lily shrugged at him questioningly but his grin only grew broader and he winked at her.

The headmaster rose out of his chair and stepped towards the students. "Welcome back to Hogwarts, I'm glad to see you are all looking refreshed after the holidays and eager to start work again. Before the feast begins I'd like to make a few announcements. Professor Stuart sadly left us after last term but now I have the great pleasure of welcoming our new Transfiguration teacher, Professor Lupin" Teddy stood up and nodded and the students clapped. Lily wasn't surprised that Teddy would apply for the Transfiguration job, who better to teach the subject than a metamorphmagus?

Teddy sat back down and Headmaster Croston continued with the introductions "Mrs Lupin will be assisting Madame Bones in the Infirmary," Victoire followed Teddy's lead and the students continued to applaud. "And finally, Mr Potter and Mr Weasley will be conducting flying lessons subject to their schedule with the Westgate Winged Horses. These lessons will be predominantly for first years, however anyone else who'd like to refine their flying skills are welcome to sign up."

When the applause died down, the tables were magically filled with food. Lily was in a good mood throughout the meal, she couldn't help but be happy that more of her family would be near by. Her mood was lifted even more with the knowledge that she wouldn't have a detention tonight, although they did start up again tomorrow. Still, it was one more day before she had to interact with Malfoy again.

When the headmaster announced the end of the evening, Delia, Jess and Maggie made arrangements with the other prefects to take their shift for tonight and then met Lily at the Gryffindor table. She was patiently waiting for her brothers and cousins to join her from the staff table which they did so quickly.

Teddy and Victoire made their way to her first while James and Louis stood chatting to Professor Longbottom. "Hey Teddy, Victoire." Lily said with a big smile on her face, "How come you didn't tell me you were going t o be coming back to Hogwarts? " she added curiously.

Teddy smiled his goofy smile, "We wanted it to be a surprise!" He explained and then a playful pout formed on his lips "Aren't you happy that we are here?"

Lily laughed and playfully patted his shoulder. He caught her arm then dragged her into a big bear hug. "Are you kidding me, of course I'm happy." she grinned into his chest and then he slowly released her.

"Oh and that reminds me," he blurted out in a ditsy fashion, "I have a note here from the headmaster. I think he wants to see you in his office." He told her and handed the note to Lily.

Lily felt her stomach drop and she took the note off him and began to open it. "What have you done now?" Maggie suddenly asked her in surprise since Lily hadn't done anything today so far that could warrant being summoned to the headmasters office.

"I haven't done anything Mags, at least I don't think I have," Lily shrugged and she read the note. After she was done reading it she scrunched it up and put it in her pocked, "Ergh, he wants to see me in about forty minutes or so, this sucks." she complained.

"I'm sure you'll be ok." Victoire told her confidently, "Look we have to head off now. Come and stop by the hospital wing at any time, you don't even need to be hurt" she requested with a delicate smile. "In fact, I'd rather you didn't get hurt!"

Lily grinned at her, "We'll drop by don't you worry, you'll be sick of us come the end of term." she teased.

"I seriously doubt that," Victoire scoffed, "see you around." Victoire waved them goodbye and her and Teddy left the Great Hall together and the girls shouted their 'goodbyes' and 'see you laters' at them as they went.

As one couple left their group, another two people joined them. "They kept that quiet didn't they Louis!" James said talking to his cousin and referring to Victoire and Teddy's plans at Hogwarts. "They did indeed," Louis agreed, "I never thought my sister was one for keeping secrets." he admitted. There was an awkward silence from both Lily and James after the last comment made by Louis. They both knew that Victoire was keeping a much bigger secret.

Maggie took the opportunity to say what she wanted to say, "Talking about keeping secrets, I hear you two managed to keep this from our Lily here. She almost died of shock when she saw you." she informed them and Delia was muttering her agreement.

James shrugged and there was a definite mischievous twinkle in his eyes, "Aw well, you know we like to keep her on her toes. It keeps things more interesting when we do the unexpected."

They continued to stand around chatting and then Louis suddenly turned to Jess who'd been silent throughout the conversation. "Hey Jess" he said with a quick nod of the head and a charming smile.

Jess's cheeks turned a beetroot red by his deliberate attempt to get her attention. "Hey" she muttered back shyly which had Lily, Maggie and Delia staring at her in disbelief.

James took the growing silence as a cue to make his and Louis excuses and leave, "Right, well we better be off. See you around ladies and don't forget to sign up for additional flying lessons. Not you though Lily, you'll just show us up." He finished and winked at her.

Lily rolled her eyes and said: "Bye" and then turned her attention back to Jess.

"Oh shut up Lily" Jess snapped when she caught her eye.

Lily looked shocked, "I haven't said anything" she complained but she was grinning.

"No, but you were going to." Jess retorted adamantly.

Lily looked appalled by the accusation, "I wouldn't dream of it." she joked. Jess rolled her eyes and quickly made her excuses before fleeing to the Ravenclaw tower.

Maggie was looking thoughtfully after Louis and Jess before turning to the others, "He's pretty enough to pass for a girl, no?" she asked keeping her tone sincere. Both Delia and Lily laughed. If Jess' mother had indeed seen her reaction to Louis, then there would be no thought of her daughter being a lesbian niggling away at her.

"I guess Jess will be signing up for flying lessons for the first time in her life" Delia muttered.

"I guess so. You know what, I may give it a go as well." Maggie added suddenly interested by the idea.

"But you hate flying." Delia pointed out matter-of-factly.

Maggie shrugged, "True, right well, see you in the morning, Lily come on let's go."

Lily paused and Maggie looked at her expectantly, "I better go and see the headmaster," Lily reminded her.

Maggie nodded, " I'll catch you later, good luck!" she offered and then set off on her way to the Gryffindor tower.

"Thanks I think I'll need it." Lily called after her. She walked part way with Delia until she headed towards the Hufflepuff common room in the Dungeons and Lily made her way to the Headmaster suite alone.

When she finally got to the correct corridor she saw that another student was making his way to the same place but was several paces in front of her. Lily groaned as the identity of the student was unmistakeable. Malfoy was striding down the corridor. Lily took a deep breath and followed just catching up to him when he spoke the password to the office. He stared at her briefly when she caught up with him but she was determined not to meet his eye. She didn't want the almost incident under the mistletoe to be brought up.

Once the spiral staircase leading up to the headmaster's room was fully forged, Lily allowed Malfoy to walk up first. When they reached the top, he tapped his knuckles against the old oak door. "Enter" They both heard the headmaster say and Malfoy opened the door for Lily to walk in first. She did so without making a fuss. "Good evening headmaster" she chimed in a pleasant tone hoping that if she kept her calm then she wouldn't be in trouble.

Professor Croston sat at his desk with his hands clasped together. "Good, you are both here!" he exclaimed examining Lily and Scorpius in turn. He smiled and this had a reassuring effect on Lily. She knew she couldn't be in trouble if he was smiling at her. "Considering that exams are not far away you detention schedule has been reassessed." he continued and Lily's face lit up. It was too much to hope for them to be cancelled but she hoped that there would at least be less of them. "You will report to Madam Swats every Monday and Thursday and Saturday evening accept on days when school events have been planned. Since your behaviour has improved dramatically we have decided to reward you for your efforts." Lily could have whooped for joy upon hearing this news but she managed to keep herself composed. She would have more time to practice quidditch, do her school work and see her friends, plus all the future balls were a definite fixture in her schedule.

"Thank you sir," both Lily and Scorpius said in unison. Professor Croston paused and regarded them for a few moments as if choosing his next approach carefully. "Just don't let me down you two," he sighed and Lily was going to make sure that he didn't regret his decision. "Now off you go." he instructed and Lily left the room without turning to check to see if Malfoy was following. She ran all the way back to the common room to share the good news with her family and friends.

***

Over the next few weeks Lily threw herself into her new schedule and it soon became routine. Every Monday after attending lessons she and Malfoy had detention. They hardly spoke and Lily was often working at a different table as him. She used the Tornado Twisters to give her extra time and energy to carry out her tasks quickly and then would spend the rest of the time studying or doodling until curfew. She was careful to make sure that Madame Swats did not catch on to what she was doing. She didn't see this as cheating as she was manually carrying out her tasks but she didn't want to risk getting in trouble for it. She was grateful to her uncle and cousin that they had corrected the flaws of the Tornado Twister and she no longer suffered from any unwelcome side effects.

Each Tuesday morning the Gryffindor Quidditch team rose before dawn and got in at least an hours practice before breakfast. They had protested at first but since Lily had agreed that practice would not occur on Monday mornings or Sundays, they were grateful and willing to cooperate. Then came lessons and in the evening she spent time with her family and friends. Sometimes they would do homework but mostly they hung out and had a little fun together.

Wednesday was a day she would go to the library after lessons although she didn't have detention. Duanne met her there and they set themselves up on a table in a quiet corner of the library. They mainly discussed school work but every so often they would drop in a personal question. Lily was gradually growing more and more fond of him. He had the potential of becoming a great friend of hers but to Lily's dismay, she discovered no potential for there relationship to go beyond friendship. She couldn't understand how she'd lost those feeling for him so quickly. She tried so hard to get them back and she refused to give up on them.

Thursday was Lily's most gruelling day. She had early quidditch practice, followed by lessons, followed by detention. By the time nine o'clock came, Lily was shattered and went straight to bed after she made the trip to her common room.

Fridays were relatively flexible. After lessons she would go to the library to work. Maggie, Jess and Delia joined her some of the time. Other times Hugo, Chester and Brian would join their revision sessions as well, and occasionally it would be just Lily and Duanne.

Every Saturday Lily took advantage of the Hogsmeade trips. She's often sat in the Three Broomsticks with her friends and whichever members of the family were available. In the evenings Lily and Malfoy completed their detention in silence. Occasionally they would have to exchange a few words but mostly Lily would try to ignore him. She even made it her mission to avoid him when they didn't have detention together. She managed to do this successfully.

Sunday was one of Lily's favourite days. She'd gotten into the habit of waking up early and this meant that having a lie in on a Sunday was unlikely. She took the opportunity to take some time out for herself. She'd go outside and get some fresh air. Depending on the weather she would either go to the Owlry or relax by the lake. Come ten o'clock she'd meet her friends for brunch and they would spend the morning together. Sometimes James and Louis were around and would sit with them. If that was the case, then the rest of the Weasley/Potter family and their friends would join them.

It soon became apparent that both Maggie and Jess were attending the flying lessons conducted by Louis and James. Jess was a little less awkward around Louis. Lily didn't mind her friends spending time with the male members of her family any more. Her new years resolution and her new routine had left her a much more mellow and accepting person. Everyone had noticed the difference and were pleased with the results.

In the afternoon they did their homework and some revision for their exams, this took them until dinner. After dinner, Lily took a trip to the Hospital wing as that was when it was at it's quietest. She'd spend some time with Victoire and Teddy and then head up to the common room leaving the newlyweds to get some privacy.

***

The weeks passed quickly, January was soon over and February arrived. With each passing day, Lily's sixteenth birthday loomed ever closer and with it, a tremendous amount of excitement. The night before her birthday Lily said goodbye to Duanne at the library. He was really looking forward to tomorrow's event. So was she, but not for the same reasons. She was excited about her birthday and how she was going to be one year nearer to coming of age, whilst he was looking forward to their 'date'. Lily was dreading that part of the day as any sparks she'd once felt between them had completely fizzled away. She had no idea how to walk away without hurting him.

Angry with herself for not being able to control her feelings, Lily ran through the empty corridors of Hogwarts. She had no destination in mind, she just needed to run. She rushed around a corner, not looking where she was going and slammed into a guy's hard chest. She hit him with such force that all the air got knocked out of her. She would have lost her footing if a pair of strong muscular arms didn't come to the rescue and support her upright. She gasped sharply and her lungs inflated once more.

Suddenly she became aware of several things at once. The first thing was that the guy was shirtless and had a body to die for. His extra items of clothing that should be donned were on the floor as he'd dropped them in order to catch her. Secondly, tiny droplets of water covered his skin as if he'd just walked out of the shower. Thirdly, her own body was acting in a peculiar way. Goosebumps covered her skin despite the fact that she was suddenly feeling very hot and her heart rate had quickened. Fourthly, she just couldn't stop staring at the muscular ridges of his abdomen.

"It's rude to stare you know." he pointed out sounding amused rather than being offended.

Lily blushed suddenly appalled at herself. Her eyes rose to his face and systematically the colour drained from hers. "Oh god," she groaned, repeating the words she'd picked up from Jess over the years.

"Not quite" he remarked with an arrogant smirk on his lips. Of all the stupid situations she'd got her self into over the years, this was by far the worst. Not paying attention where she was going, she had inadvertently found herself in the arms of Scorpius Malfoy just after he'd left the prefects' bathroom.

She kept her eyes away from the bare skin of his chest by keeping her gaze on his face. There was something about his smirk that had shivers running down her spine. It unnerved her and made her feel off balanced. However the feeling that horrified her the most was the excitement lurking behind the unease.

She tried to wriggle out of his grip as the images of their encounter at the Burrow came flooding back to her. She was unsuccessful in her attempts and he held on tight. "Not so fast" he chuckled.

Lily's eyes narrowed as she tried to feign anger in order to disguise the emotions she was actually feeling. "Get off me Malfoy" she demanded, her voice sounding a lot stronger than she felt.

She continued to try and break free from his grasp and he wasn't looking amused anymore. "You can't ignore me forever Lily, I wont let you" he told her in an authoritative tone.

Lily gave herself a mental kick. She hadn't been tactful in her attempts to avoid him and he knew that was what she was doing. She felt like such a coward. However, if he had left out one word in what he'd said, she probably would have reacted differently. She stopped moving instantly and glared at him, "Yes I can and what gives you the right to call me by name?" she seethed.

Ignoring her anger, he bent slightly so that his lips were lowered to her ear. She tensed as the action brought his damp bare chest closer to her. She knew it probably wasn't the best idea but, she scrunched her eyes shut to prevent herself from staring at him. "You owe me a kiss" he whispered huskily and the minty caress of his breath sent an involuntary bout of shivers to course through her body.

Her eyes flared open, "No I do not!" she gasped and stumbled away from him. This time he let her go but he followed her. She backed into the stone wall and groaned now finding herself trapped between him and the wall. He placed his hands against the wall at either side of her and prevented her from escaping easily.

"I think you'll find that you do." he murmured into her ear.

Lily began to panic as the unwelcome excitement of him kissing her grew. "Don't you-, you can't force me!" she half shrieked allowing the hysteria to seep into her tone.

He stepped away from her looking horrified and insulted, "Of course I wont." he growled.

This would have been the perfect time for her to run but she made the mistake of watching his reaction. His silver eyes were full of pain and she felt so guilty for causing it. She knew he would never force her. He had knocked out a fellow Slytherin for the very reason. In addition to the guilt, a part of her brain; the irrational part of it; was yelling at her angrily for depriving her from the kiss which that part of her craved.

She knew he was messing with her, it wasn't possible that he could actually want to kiss her for anything other than some hidden agenda. She didn't know exactly what it was but somehow she didn't care. All of a sudden, the fight flooded out of her. It was only one kiss after all. Just one kiss and then he would leave her alone and she could get out of there.

Another benefit to letting him kiss her was that she would be able to satisfy that part of her which wanted the kiss to take place. Once she kissed him and found it to be not as thrilling as she expected she could then let go of that part of her.

He was watching her intently throughout her internal struggles gauging every bit of emotion that flickered on her face. "Will you let me kiss you Lily?" he asked he in way she interpreted as false optimism.

She let her head drop back against the wall, "Just don't call me Lily!" she sighed in defeat.

"Is that a yes?" he asked.

Lily groaned, he was actually going to make her say it. She peered into the depths of his silver grey eyes and couldn't work out what exactly she saw burning in them, "Yes dammit. One kiss then leave me alone." she snapped.

He moved in quickly, one of his hands moved into her hair and he rubbed her scarlet locks between his fingers. Lily couldn't help but register how strange it was for him to do so. He'd openly made her aware of how much he detested the colour of her hair. So much so that she had set his own hair on fire in anger.

His other hand moved to her cheek. It felt cool compared to her flushed skin but it was a pleasant contrast. Her cheeks had felt like they were burning but somehow his hand soothed her. She closed her eyes and waited for the feelings she hoped she would experience. She wanted to prove to herself that she didn't want to kiss him.

She felt him moving closer and her lips tingled as his hovered over hers. She wondered what was taking him so long. She almost opened her eyes but then his lips were on hers. They were soft and warm and still for many moments. She couldn't really explain what she was feeling at that moment but then his lips started to move fractionally. Her stomach suddenly felt as if it was doing summersaults and she tried to fight it.

Then his lips moved marginally more and all conscious thought ceased. Her own lips moved over his and he reacted instantly. He captured her bottom lip between hers and sucked on it. She gasped at the numerous sensations it provoked. She felt suddenly weak and her knees threatened to buckle. As if sensing her difficulty, his hands slipped to her waist and supported her. This induced another gasp from her lips.

At that moment it didn't register that what she was doing was wrong. She couldn't even remember that she hated him. One of her hands slid up his back and rested on his shoulder as she used him for support. She felt his muscles twitch under her touch. Her other hand moved to the back of his neck pulling him closer to her. His platinum hair was soft and silky despite being slightly damp. Her fingers relished in the feel of it.

It wasn't until his tongue gently against her soft lips demanding entry, that the sudden realisation of what she was doing and who she was doing it with, hit her like a dose of icy cold water. She pulled away from him alarmed. She was panting heavily and noticed that his breathing was also erratic. She was so horrified with herself. She couldn't bring herself to look him in the eye and seeing his smugness.

"Now leave me alone" was all she managed to say before she hurried away from him without a backwards glance. She fled to the common room avoiding her fellow Gryffindors and went straight to her dormitory. She was thankful when she found it was empty. She collapsed on her bed and drew the curtains around her so no one would disturb her. "You are so stupid Lily" she scolded herself silently as that kiss had not gone how it was supposed to. She wasn't supposed to feel anything but instead it was as if a fire had been ignited deep within her. Under no circumstances could she let Malfoy know the extent of the effect he had on her.

Lily tried to force herself to sleep. however, her attempts were unsuccessful for several hours before she eventually drifted into a restless sleep.

* * *

**Ok, well this wasn't supposed to be when they had their first kiss but hell, I just got too impatient and that's why I've changed the direction of the story. **

**I have checked over this chapter but if anyone spots any grammar or spelling mistakes, please can you tell me. I really think I need a beta reader. Does anyone fancy volunteering?**


	25. C25: February 14th morning

**This chapter was going to be a lot longer but I haven't had much time to work on it. I've been in Thailand for the last few weeks visiting my parents. Although I have access to a computer there, I've also been travelling around Thailand quite a bite. Nevertheless, the next chapter to Snake Charmer is finally here. I'm also working on it's sister story 'The Snake she Charmed' which is written from Scorpius' perspective. You'll find that that story will begin to explain a lot of his motives and the struggles the poor lad has to go through. However if you don't want to spoil anything then I suggest you don't read that story for a while!**

**Now I want to thank k8ew8e, littlemisscrazy96, cherryVanillaCoke16, Paz Malfoy, Hollandthemoeba, beUncivilized, hushpuppy22, kt potter93, feltonequalslove, LilyMalfoy94 and Sandra Stark for your reviews. I really appreciate them, Thanks**

**And last but in no means least, thank you beUncivilized for checking this chapter for me XD**

Chapter 25: February 14th - morning

When Lily awoke the next morning she felt anything but refreshed. Her eyes were heavy due to lack of sleep and her muscles ached because of all the tossing and turning she'd done. She tried to forget yesterday's encounter, but thoughts of Malfoy flowed too freely through her mind. The picture of him scantily dressed with small droplets of water caught in his hair, lying on the surface of his skin flashed through her mind. She could almost feel his almost too full lips move against hers and the memories made her hot and bothered. She groaned in a mixture of pleasure, frustration and shame. He had no right to feature in her thoughts in any kind of positive way. She needed to find a way to distract herself and was in desperate need of the energy potion from her collection, but first she needed to get out of bed.

Tentatively she flexed her legs easing her discomfort. As they extended, her feet collided with something hard at the bottom of the bed. She frowned, a few seconds later, as she heard a clattering sound when several things fell to the floor with a thump. Maggie's chuckle soon followed and Lily rolled onto her side and slowly opened her eyes just as her bed curtains were being drawn open.

Maggie stood at the side of her bed the very image of perfection. Her long black hair was perfectly sleek and there were no unsightly shadows under her eyes. Her full lips smiled fondly down at Lily, "It looks like you've been caught up in a herd of stampeding Hippogriffs," she remarked. Her concern was evident in her dark almond shaped eyes.

Lily wasn't bothered by her words, she only wished the words were true. She'd take stampeding Hippogriffs above finding out what it was like to kiss Malfoy any day of the week. She couldn't help but feel like she had gotten herself into a whole different kind of trouble. She slowly raised herself into a seated position. As she did, she could tell that her hair was matted and sticking out in odd directions. Add that to her droopy eyes and tight aching muscles, she then knew she really did look a picture. She was surprised Maggie wasn't rolling around the floor in stitches. "We can't all look perfect when we wake up." Lily pointed out but this did nothing to ease her friends concern. Maggie crouched beside Lily's bed and ran her dark slender fingers through Lily's matted red locks, looking thoughtful. As the frown creased her face it almost made her look too severe, but that was the way of Maggie. After a moment's deliberation she brought out her wand, pointed it at Lily and muttered a few words. Lily felt a slight tingling sensation as the spell worked. All the knots were worked out of her hair in an instant and Lily was grateful that her friend's knowledge of cosmetic magic was vast.

Maggie retrieved Lily's box of potions from under the bed and handed it to her. "I wouldn't know which potion to give you." she admitted with a shrug. She may be a bright witch, however potions wasn't really her forte. She was much like her brother in that respect but Lily was working on that during their revision sessions. Lily took the box and managed to smile at her. She winced when her arm muscles ached as she searched through the vials until she found the one she sought. She drank the required dose and her mind cleared as she felt suddenly energised and the aches faded away. It hit her all of a sudden, and she then knew what the loud crashing noise earlier was. When she had stretched she'd kicked several of her birthday and Valentine's Day gifts off her bed.

Welcoming the distraction wholeheartedly, Lily jumped to her feet whilst still on her bed and opened the bed curtains completely. Not only was the end of her bed filled with gifts wrapped up in a variety of colours, but bouquets of flowers, fancily wrapped boxes of chocolates and cards of various shapes and sizes were piled up on the floor around her bed. She smiled in excitement at the sheer amount of gifts. With them to occupy herself, she didn't need to think about how attractive Malfoy truly looked when his guard relaxed, or how she knew he could turn her insides to mush if only she let go of her hate… Lily shook herself vigorously until she became light headed. Malfoy was rude, prejudiced and a whole range of hateful things, Lily reminded herself and she set her thoughts back on track; back to the pile of presents!

Maggie chuckled at her friend excitement and once Lily had calmed down slightly, they sat side by side on the top end of Lily's bed. They did this every year on Lily's birthday/Valentine's day. It had become harder over the years as they grew bigger, however a little discomfort was not going to get in the way of tradition.

With a big cheesy grin to each other and a wave of their wands, their Valentine's Day gifts came soaring through the air towards them. Their pile of presents and cards were approximately equal in amount. As they opened them, they remarked on each one to one another. Some cards were extremely soppy with elaborate poems or verses, some were arty and others were crude and to the point. Some made them laugh, other made them go 'awwww' whilst others made them cringe. They discovered that most of the senders had failed to sign their names, while others had cast a charm so that only the person whom the card was addressed to could read it. Lily was glad to see that the boys had leant from the previous year. Last year her brothers had happened to come across some of her cards and recognised some of the names of the boys who sent them. Said boys had had a difficult number of weeks following February the 14th, trying to avoid her overzealous brothers.

At one point during the task, Maggie peered at the card Lily was holding and muttered, "I wouldn't let Coleen see that one, there is no way she'd fail to recognise Chester's handwriting."

Lily frowned and nodded in agreement. In truth, she didn't think it was right of Chester to send her a card when he had been dating Coleen for the longest time, but then again, he'd sent her a card every year since they were four: a tradition started under their parent's encouragement. Lily added it to the pile of opened cards and moved on to the next one. It had a rather cute poem on the front that was simple enough not to make her gag. It even brought a smile to her lips until she read who it was from. The name read 'Brian Finnegan'. Maggie frowned and Lily was suddenly aware that she had said the name out loud. "I wonder how Hugo would feel if he discovered his best friends send you cards."

Lily shrugged and got the feeling that there was something about Brian sending her a card that bothered Maggie. This didn't make much sense to Lily, she knew Maggie wasn't interested in Brian in that way. Lily shrugged it off and moved on.

The last card she opened was from Duanne. It was quite simple with little red hearts on a white background. Lily was glad it wasn't gaudy and she placed it on her bedside table next to the vase with the single everlasting lily in it. The bouquet of flowers he got her was also placed alongside the card. They were a mixture of exotic flowers and red roses which were decidedly beautiful. Lily couldn't fault his taste, she only wished she could feel for him the way she was suddenly feeling about… Lily stopped her unhelpful thoughts immediately and slipped out of bed and gathered all of the boxes of chocolates and stowed them in her trunk for another day. She stuck her cards to the posts of her bed and then levitated the bouquets of flowers into the air to free space. Maggie did the same with her gifts picking a select few to hold a place of pride on her bedside table.

Lily froze when she turned to her bed and spotted the Valentine's gift that have previously gone unnoticed. It was a long narrow box wrapped in red paper and a silver ribbon. Instinctively, she had a feeling she knew what it was. Slowly, she reached for it and turned the silver tag in her hands. Like before except this time in crimson ink, her name was the only lettering written there. Opening the box, a smile spread across her face when she discovered, as expected, another everlasting lily just as perfect as the first. Out of the corner of her eye, she noticed Maggie's interest but said nothing and placed the flower in the same vase as the other. It was slightly smaller than the first but in no way inferior.

Maggie walked up to her and eyed the flower but then surprised Lily by not commenting on her last Valentine's gift. Instead she handed her a large, neatly wrapped, rectangular shaped box. "Happy Birthday" she announced happily. Before Lily even unwrapped her gift, she flung her arms around her best friend with a squeal and thanked her. The noise she made woke up the rest of the sleeping Gryffindors in the dormitory and Lily was quite surprised that she hadn't registered that they'd all still been sleeping. They made a few groans and Lily apologised unable to get the guilty look off of her face. They shrugged aside her apologies and once they were up, they were more interested in their own gifts than the fact that they had been woken up by Lily's shriek.

Lily then unwrapped the box she was holding. She gasped in delight as she peeled back the delicate tissue paper and an expensive looking designer dress was revealed. "This is too much" she said in awe and she lifted the dress out of the box and held it against herself. She ran over to the mirror and imagined what she would look like in it. It was made out of red silk the perfect shade so that it didn't clash with her hair. It had a high neckline and the skirt floated at her knees. There was also a sash that would cinch her in at the waist. It was plain, simple and elegant. "This is too much" she said in a half scolding tone as she turned to Maggie.

She chuckled in response, "If you don't want it I'll take it back!"

Lily pulled a face and held the dress tighter against herself, "Mine" she snapped possessively which had Maggie chuckling for a good few minutes.

Once Lily finished cooing over the dress she hung it off the railing of her bed so that it was neat for the ball later that night. She had planned to wear something else but there was no way that was the case anymore. She admired the dress one last time and scooped up the birthday presents she'd kicked to the floor and added them to pile on the bed. Lily worked her way through the gifts and Maggie was content just to watch her expressions as she opened each of them. She exclaimed over the occasional presents but otherwise sat in silence.

Lily admired every gift she opened. From her female relatives and friends she got a mixture of lacy lingerie and nightwear as well as other girly trinkets. The males got her more practical gifts, such as a race broom repair kit to go with her Premium Firebolt she got at Christmas, dragon hide sports gloves, books, tickets to go see the Twisted Toadstool in concert and a set of four rather special mirrors which Lily immediately put in a draw before Maggie remarked on them. All in all, Lily had had a very successful time and all that was left was to get her gifts from Delia and Jess which she knew she would get at breakfast.

Thinking about breakfast caused Lily's stomach to rumble and she felt suddenly ravenous, as if she had not eaten in days. "Is it time for breakfast yet?" Lily asked and Maggie rolled her eyes, "As if all those presents weren't enough, you want food as well!" she chortled and Lily stuck out her tongue in response. Maggie soon relented and told her that it was indeed time for breakfast. Lily let out a gleeful whoop and grabbed Maggie's arm and dragged her out of the room.

***

Lily was in high spirits when she first skipped into the Great Hall for breakfast with Maggie. It was already half full with students and Lily could hear the rustling the other half made as they too headed to breakfast. As she walked towards the Gryffindor table her eyes automatically brushed over the Slytherin table on the opposite side of the room. Her stepping faltered when her eyes caught sight of Malfoy and his Slytherin friends. Her heart made a sharp jolt when her eyes locked with Scorpius' and she quickly looked away. Her body's reaction was entirely unwelcome and she scolded herself for making the mistake of looking at him after she had been doing such a good job of not thinking about him. The altercation last night played over her mind once more and she was unable to fight off the images.

"What's wrong with you?" Maggie asked quizzically picking up on Lily's odd behaviour. Her friend's question had the desired effect of drawing her attention away from Malfoy. It was then that Lily realised that she had stopped moving entirely. She shrugged in what she hoped was an innocent way but it had no effect on Maggie. She turned her head slightly to find the cause of Lily's discomfort. Upon spotting the group of Slytherins she frowned. "What has my brother done now? Do you want me to hex him?" she asked without waiting for Lily's response.

With the reference to Duanne, Lily finally managed to pull herself together. "It's nothing, breakfast!" she stated simply but she knew that she had lost her appetite. Her legs felt as heavy as lead as she made her way to her usual spot on the Gryffindor table. She could feel somebody watching her as she walked all the way to her seat. She knew it was Malfoy and it maddened her to think that he was probably laughing at her. She cursed herself for her rash decision last night and went for a seat where her back would face the Slytherins. She wasn't going to give him the satisfaction of seeing her squirm under his gaze.

She spotted Hugo and his friends at the table already piling food onto their plates. She thanked each one of them in person for the gifts they sent her and placed a kiss on each of their cheeks. When she did, Hugo pushed her away and muttered something like 'gross' but he had a smile decorating his face. Chester went suddenly quiet and although you couldn't really tell if he blushed or not, his cheeks did darken. Brian's response was the most hilarious. His lightly freckled face turned beet red and it took all of Lily's effort not to laugh but at least it took her mind off of other things.

Lily slipped into an empty seat and Maggie sat on the bench opposite her. She looked at Brian and then back at Lily with an odd expression on her face, "That was just cruel" she finally whispered and Lily turned her genuine innocent gaze to her. "Brian knows my feelings for him are entirely platonic, I'm not going to treat him any different just because he had a crush on me at some point." Lily said defensively.

Maggie's eyes rolled, "Then why did he get you a Valentine's Day gift?" she asked in a hushed tone. Lily had a perfectly logical answer for that. "Out of habit, our parents have always made us send cards to each other ever since we were little. That's why I always send him one, I haven't sent Chester one only because he has a girlfriend, I send him a friendship card instead." she explained and Maggie nodded and gazed at her in a way that suggested Lily was deluding herself.

With a huff, Lily turned to the staff table. James and Louis weren't there, she suspected that they were currently training with their quidditch team. Teddy and Victoire were there though. Victoire grinned when she saw Lily looking at her but there was something suspicious about her smile which had Lily's mind racing with a number of possibilities. By which time, all of the student's had filed into the room and taken their seats. Professor Thomas stood up to address them and Lily's suspicions about her cousin's behaviour were replaced with why it wasn't either the Headmaster or Deputy Headmaster addressing the students. Her eyes fluttered towards Chester, he caught her eye and shrugged. Even he didn't know why his mother was addressing the class, so Lily looked towards the staff table and listened patiently to discover the answer.

"Good morning students and staff. This year I have took it upon myself to make arrangements for the Valentine's Day ball." Lily nodded and the excitement began to brew within her as Professor Thomas continued. Out of the corner of her eye she saw Chester cringe and hide his face in his hands.

"It will be a little different from previous years" she announced, "one thing being that it wont be held in the Great Hall." It was only after the professor had pointed that out that Lily noticed the lack of decorations in the hall. "Pavilions are being set up as we speak within the Hogwarts grounds. It is going to be a pleasant evening which we are going to take full advantage of." Lily heard the other students, mainly the females, muttering in excitement at the prospect of a romantic evening under the stars rather than the enchanted ceiling. Lily turned to Maggie and she had a huge grin on her face and Lily realised that she too was smiling. "Another difference is that this year it will be a masquerade ball. Every students' identity will be disguised unless you choose to make yourself known."

Lily noticed a problem with the professor's plans and said in a low voice to Maggie, "I'm sorry but I think my hair is going to be a bit of a give away. How many people do you see with bright red hair?" Maggie sniggered in response.

However Professor Thomas's eyes twinkled as if she had heard Lily's remark and had anticipated it. "In addition to a mask, all students will be provided with a potion that will alter their appearance slightly." Lily heard the murmurs of excitement grow louder and she couldn't help but feel enthusiastic about the plans. "You will be given both items by the end of breakfast but keep in mind, the vials will only open during the hour before the celebrations begin. The effects of the potion are temporary and will wear off by breakfast tomorrow."

Professor Thomas finished her announcement and took her seat at the table. An applause broke out from all the female students in the room, even some of the boys had their interests piqued, although they wouldn't openly admit it. The Headmaster then stood up and clapped his hands drawing everyone's attention to him. "In anticipation of you wanting to purchase a few items to decorate your masks or whatever…" he announce rather awkwardly and Lily wondered why he didn't ask Chester's mum to make the announcement, "the Hogsmeade trip today will be open to all student even first and second years."

All the faces of the younger student whom haven't previously been permitted to go to Hogsmeade beamed at the Headmaster. Delia and Jess took the opportunity to hurry over to the Gryffindor table whilst the Headmaster turned his efforts to quieting the students. Jess slipped into a spare seat between Lily and Rose and Delia sat next to Maggie on the opposite side of the table.

"Happy Birthday Lily" they chimed at once and each dropped their gifts to her on the table in front of Lily. She tore the wrapping paper off them without hesitation. "It's beautiful Jess" Lily cooed as she held the golden shawl that felt soft and silky between her fingers. "It will be perfect for tonight" she explained as she examined the intricate floral pattern embossed on its surface. She hugged Jess tightly, "You're worth it Lils, I'm so glad you like it."

"Like it? I love it" Lily grinned and ignored the fact that it sounded cliché. Lily felt Jess patting her back, "Need to breathe," she gasped and Lily released her and smiled apologetically at her. She then turned to the gift from Delia. She couldn't work out what it was. It was a long thin pouch with lots of straps attached to it. It was pretty, the fabric was flesh colour and there was gold embroidered water lilies and lily pads on it. Delia noted her confusion and chirped in, "It's to put your wand into when you have no pockets, it attaches to your thigh."

Lily's eyes widened in recognition, "Of course it is" she laughed, "it's so _purtty._"After she thanked Delia, they started on their breakfast. After a few moments Delia sent a confused glance over Lily's shoulder and then leant forward closing the gap between them. "Lily?" she began and hesitated before continuing, "What have you done to Malfoy that makes him look that he is going to attack you?"

Lily let out a nervous giggle which had the girls intrigued to find out the answer. She avoided their eyes and replied in a raspy voice, "I'd rather not talk about it right now, lets eat so we can go off to Hogsmeade." Lily turned her attention to her food so that her friends knew she wasn't going to say anything more on the subject. She forced down her porridge although she had no desire to eat it. She was going to evade answering that question until she either figured out what she could tell them or until they completely forgot about it. At least she could take some comfort in the fact that something she was doing was making him furious.

**Thank you for reading, I hoped you liked it. I really love to hear from you wonderful people who have the patience to read my story! XD**


	26. C26: February 14th lunch

**Sorry it's been a while since I last updated. I've rewritten this chapter a ridiculous amount of times. I'm still not completely happy with it but I think I've kept you waiting long enough. I've also had to re-outline all the chapters now that I strayed off the original plot. out I keep changing it because some of my original plans don't fit anymore. I may make a few more one-shots out of the material I'm missing out. I do love writing about dear Lily and Scorpius, especially now that their relationship has advanced.**

**Thanks to all who reviewed the previous chapter, you guys make my day! Xx**

Chapter 26: February 14th - Lunch

Professor Thomas had been correct when she said it was going to be a nice day weather-wise. However, the student's interpretation of a nice day in the middle of February was somewhat different to how the day actually turned out. The students, Lily and her friends included, expected a pleasant day at the end of winter to be a temperature of around 10 degrees Celsius. That would be a perfectly pleasant temperature for such a day in the Scottish Highlands.

They had certainly not expected the day to resemble one of late spring or early summer. So, on this uncharacteristically warm mid February day, all the students were dressed for a crisp winter's day. There wasn't even a breeze to cool them.

Like many of the students, Lily now held her cloak hooked over her arm. Her jumper was tied around her waist and the sleeves of her top drawn up to her elbows in an attempt to cool down slightly. The heat was making her cranky, plus it did not help that she'd been unable to find her brother and cousins after breakfast. "Would have thought they'd manage to spare a few moments of their time to walk to Hogsmeade with us." she grumbled, more to herself than anyone else.

"What's that Lily?" Maggie asked as she removed her own cloak and made minor adjustments to her clothing.

Lily continued with her complaints without really noticing that Maggie had spoken. "It is my birthday after all, they could have at least stuck around long enough to spend five minutes with me. They're probably doing it on purpose but I have no idea why." Lily said as paranoia crept into her thoughts.

Lily suddenly found herself being shaken rather roughly. "Earth to Lily!" Jess called and Lily's attention was finally drawn away from her thoughts.

"What?" Lily snapped without realising.

They stopped walking and the three girls looked upon Lily with raised eyebrows. Lily blinked a few times and finally realised where they were. They were half way to Hogsmeade already. She sighed and allowed herself to relax, only noticing then that she'd been tense. "Sorry, I didn't mean to snap. It's the weather. It's ok in summer when I expect it I guess…" Lily rambled tried to make excuses for her behaviour.

"I agree, this weather is ridiculous. I think I'll die of heatstroke." Delia grinned dramatically and swooned for great effect. Jess caught her and joined the play acting as she pretended to fan Delia back into consciousness.

Lily chuckled and then added thoughtfully, "It is odd, but at least we wont freeze tonight." she conceded.

"It's not tonight yet though, why on earth did we dress for winter?" Maggie complained.

"Maybe because it is." Delia grinned cheekily which earned her a quick side hug from the taller girl.

After a few moments of messing about, Delia looked toward Lily, her face alight with inspiration. "Lily, can I please put my cloak in that bag of yours?"

Lily suddenly realised that she was carrying the little black bag her aunt had charmed and given her for a Christmas gift. "Yeah sure, that's a great idea Del, come to think of it I think I have some clothes in here as well. We could change when we get to Hogsmeade." Lily explained as relief flooded through her. She wasn't going to fry after all and she was grateful for the fact that she'd wanted to bring her entire wardrobe to Hogwarts in one go. Her school trunk wouldn't have allowed it.

The three girls beamed at her. Although each of the girls were of different height and body build. There was bound to be some style of clothing which would fit them. They handed Lily their unwanted clothing and she packed them away safely in her bag.

"I wish I had a bag like that so that I could carry all my stuff around and be prepared for any eventuality." Delia sighed wishfully as she admired Lily's accessory.

"I'll ask my aunt if she'll be able to teach us the charm she used." Lily replied immediately. Delia would probably find it more difficult than the rest of them but with help, Lily was certain she'd be able to do it. Delia beamed at her.

"Rose's mum is so cool." Jess stated and Lily grinned. Of course Jess would admire Hermione Weasley, she was like a miniature version of her, and they always got along brilliantly whenever they met.

"Speaking of Rose, have any of you seen her since breakfast?" Lily inquired, returning to the subject of her earlier brooding.

Jess, Maggie and Delia quickly exchanged glances with each other. Lily didn't notice, so she wasn't suspicious when Maggie shrugged and said: "Er, no. She probably went straight to Hogsmeade after breakfast. We'll probably see her there."

Instead, Lily was resided in the fact that she would see her cousins back at school if she didn't bump into them in Hogsmeade. "You're probably right." she sighed.

It wasn't long before the girls reached Hogsmeade. They went straight to the Hogs Head: A pub which had a bit of a bad reputation, but it was the perfect place for them to switch clothing in privacy. The customers were predominantly elderly wizards so the women's bathroom was almost always vacant.

They received a few strange looks when they slipped up the stairs and into the restroom, but it didn't bother them in the slightest. As expected the room was vacant and they locked the door behind them. Lily rummaged through her bag. She found a simple purple t shirt and some faded denim shorts for Jess, a pink empire styled sundress for Delia, a strappy green sundress for herself and a white skirt and bright yellow vest top for Maggie. She didn't have any spare shoes to share around, but their new outfits didn't look too bad matched with their trainers. They were all pleased to be wearing clothes fitting the weather, than be concerned with what they looked like.

Once changed, they went to the craft store first where they bought a few items to decorate their masks. It was rather crowded in the small store. The other students were also searching for items to purchase, it was difficult to move around the store without bumping into the other customers. It also meant that the shop was uncomfortably warm. As soon as they had what they wanted, they escaped the confides of the stuffy store.

"All set? Great! Come on I want to see Freddie" Lily stated now that they were back out in the open air.

Delia's face lit up at the prospect of going to Weasley Wizard Wheezes, "No problem, I'm running out of supplies anyway and I heard that they have new products on sale, I haven't had a chance to try them yet."

"Oo, they're good!" Lily agreed and skipped along the pebbled streets of Hogsmeade, "Great now that they have been perfected. I recommend the Tornado Twister. I use them in my detentions, now that the side effects have all bee eliminated, they really come in handy."

Delia's face lit with curiosity, "What side effects, when did-?"

"She get's free samples remember." Jess interrupted Delia with her explanation.

"Ergh, I'm so jealous. I wish I had an uncle who owned a magical joke shop" Delia huffed and linked arms with Jess as they walked.

Lily wore a smug expression. She did love the fact that some members of her family were so creative. Maggie rolled her eyes and looked down at Delia who was still looking a little jealous of Lily. "Careful Delia, you'll turn green." she laughed.

Delia swung on Jess's arm and turned to stick her tongue out at Maggie.

Lily chuckled, "Anyway, all you need to do is marry Hugo and then George will be your uncle. How's that going by the way?" Lily asked genuinely curious. It was a lot better now that she had accepted the fact that her friends were going to date certain members of her family at some point. Disapproving of the matches wasted up too much time and energy. So instead, she embraced and welcomed the pairings. If things turned out bad in the end, then it wasn't going to effect her relationship with either of them. If things turned out well, then it would be a joy to call them sisters.

Delia failed to hide her surprise at Lily's question. She had grown used to Lily avoiding the subject and now she finally realised that Lily wouldn't object if things between her and Hugo got serious. "It's going just fine. I hope I'll be able to find him tonight. This masquerade ball was intriguing at first, but it is going to cause a few problems"

"Knowing you, you'll find some way to draw his attention to you. What did he get you for Valentine's day?" Jess grinned.

Delia stiffened, "That is none of your business" she said secretively.

Lily didn't miss the stain forming on her cheeks, "Delia, are you blushing?" she teased.

Delia's blush grew a deeper shade of red, "Shush, go find Freddie!" she said and waved Lily onwards.

Lily chuckled and skipped towards the Joke shop, pulling Maggie with her. Jess and Delia followed behind them.

A bell chimed as soon as Lily opened the door. A few of the customers turned to look towards the door, they were all Hogwarts students purchasing toffees that would assist in skiving the most dull classes. After a quick once over of the shop, Lily discerned that Freddie was not there. She made her way over to an assistant with a pretty face and frizzy blonde curls. "Hey, is Freddie in the back?" she asked pleasantly.

The girl looked at Lily in surprise and then gave her the once over. She seemed threatened by Lily's familiarity with her boss and Lily realised that the girl was probably new and therefore did not know that she was Freddie's cousin. She did not have the inclination to correct the girl for seeing her as the competition. The blonde frowned at her, "No sorry, it's Mr Weasley's day off today" she said tartly and her scowled deepened at Lily dejected expression. "Shall I tell him you stopped by?"

Lily sighed "No, that's ok," she replied and made her way back to her friends, "Come girls, he's not here."

"Just a sec, I want to buy a few things." Delia pointed out.

"Oh yeah, sorry." Lily apologised, having forgotten for a moment that her friends had wanted to look at the new products and stock up on supplies. "I'll go and wait outside. Just meet me there when you've finished." She told them and left the shop.

After a few minutes Jess joined her, "Lily are you ok?" she asked, clearly concerned.

Lily was grateful for her concern but it wasn't needed. "I'm fine" she sighed.

"You don't look it. It's your birthday, it's the law that you should be happy today." Jess smirked and Lily conceded a smile.

"I know, it's just I thought I'd see some of my cousins today. Sometimes it sucks having your birthday on Valentine's day."

Jess drew Lily into a hug, "We'll find Al and the others don't you worry. I have a feeling Al doesn't have a date today. Rumour has it, he's got a thing for our Maggie." she whispered, although there was no one of note within hearing distance.

Lily was surprised that Jess had picked up on her brother's interest in Maggie and she was suddenly worried that Maggie had noticed. She didn't object with the match but Maggie's interest in James seemed to have been renewed, even if the regard was one-sided. Lily didn't want to discover that Maggie was aware of Albus' affections and was pursuing James regardless, that would just be cruel. "Does she know?"

Jess shrugged, "I don't think so, She's a bit blind when it comes to Al."

"What's that about Al?" Delia and Maggie asked in unison as the store shop swung open and they clambered outside, their hands full of bags containing Weasley Wizard Wheezes products.

"I was just wondering where he was that's all." Lily cut in with a cover story as Jess froze, unable to come up with a plausible explanation herself.

"Well we've got all we need now, we can go find him." Maggie said.

Lily took her friend's purchases and stuffed them into her small black bag so that they didn't need to bother with them. This freed their arms and they linked up and went in search of Albus Potter.

They passed Madam Puddifoot's on route. It was a sickly sweet café, ideal for the romantic types to share a quiet and private meal with their loved one. Lily peered through the window looking for any of her relatives. There were a few couples she recognised, Coleen Creevy and Chester Thomas, Keanna McLaggen and Harrison Davies, Eoin McLaggen and Lucy Cattermole. Lily was struck by the sudden reminder of Eoin. Her previous feeling for him felt false now, however she still would not pass up on the chance to get her own back. She knew she was being childish but she didn't care. She looked over the customers again and failed to identify any of her relatives among the couples.

She sighed and turned sharply. She immediately collided with someone. This was becoming a habit which was quite annoying. She raised her head and was relieved to see that this time it wasn't Malfoy she'd bumped into, but Duanne. Her relief was short-lived and immediately vanished once he wrapped his arms around her. He kissed the top of her forehead and held her close.

They hadn't discussed taking their relationship to a romantic level. However, it was regularly implied by Duanne that the step would be taken after she turned sixteen. Now that the day had come, Lily wondered how she was going to avoid the subject without hurting his feelings.

"Happy Birthday. Did you like the flowers?" He asked and Lily decrepitly pulled away from his embrace. She heard her friends sigh nearby as they turned away, giving the two of them a little privacy.

"They were beautiful, thanks."

"Great!" He shifted uncomfortably on his heels as he thought over his next words. "Look, about tonight. I know it's supposed to be a masquerade ball, personally I think it's a little daft to have one on Valentine's day when we all have dates. Anyway, I just wanted you to know that I'll find you somehow. But in case I don't before ten, I'll linger by the drinks table in the main tent. Hopefully you'll be able to find me there"

Before Lily was able to respond, Warrington and Goyle came running to Duanne's side. Both boys were in fits of laughter. Indeed, Warrington found it difficult to speak his next words. "Duanne -you -gotta see- this" he stammered, clutching his ribs.

Both Duanne and Lily turned to see what all the fuss was about. Duanne burst out laughing but Lily didn't find the scene that met her eyes amusing.

Malfoy stood in the middle of the street surrounded by a group of at least twenty girls of various houses and years. They were all falling over him like he was a member of a boy band. The sight wouldn't have usually bothered her. Last year she would have gagged and discussed how pathetic it was for the girls to act that way. However, this year her thoughts were entirely different.

She felt dizzy, sick even, at the fact that all those girls were flirting with him. An inapropriate balloon of jealousy swelled inside her and threatened to burst as the temptation to hex each of everyone of them became unbearable. She needed to leave before she made a fool of herself, "I have to go, I'll see you later." she told Duanne and fled before he had time to respond.

"Lily wait up" Maggie shouted as she chased after her. They managed to catch up to her when they were just outside the three broomsticks.

"What's wrong with you?" Delia inquired a little breathless from the run.

"Nothing, I'm fine." Lily told them automatically.

"Are you sure, you look really pale?" Jess asked and Lily realised her friends were not convinced by her fake assurance that she was ok.

"I think I just need a drink or something." Lily shrugged.

They sighed but dropped the subject. "Ok, lets go into the three broomsticks" Maggie suggested.

"Great idea" Delia announced while looking at her watch.

Lily entered the pub and was greeted with a scene she had not been expecting in the slightest. Each and every one of her family members stood at one end of the room around a long table. "Surprise!" They yelled and cheered in unison.

Her parents were the first to get up and greet her, then her grandparents and the rest of the family. They all wished her Happy Birthday and she thanked them all individually for her gifts.

They were soon seated and were discussing their latest news. Dominique was currently dating Teddy's closest friend Henry, whilst Lucy confessed that she and Isaiah Wood had been secretly dating for a while now. Freddie was complaining about the new employee at work who was so clumsy she kept dropping stock whenever he was around. Lily assumed it was the employee she'd met earlier and felt it wise not to tell him in front of the rest of the family that she was undoubtedly besotted with him.

Victoire was the only one in the company who wore baggy robes despite the warm weather. Lily knew that she wore the robe to hide her condition. She was nearing the four or five month part of her pregnancy and would no doubt have to tell everyone about the new arrival soon. From what Lily could tell, her and James were still the only ones, other than the newly weds, who knew about the pregnancy.

Lily truly enjoyed her meal with her family. It was quite rare that they managed to get everyone together at the same time. They usually only managed it at Christmas, Weddings and Christenings.

Towards the end of the meal, Lily's eyes were drawn to the door of The Three Broomsticks as a group of Hogwarts students entered the pub. It took all her efforts to remain calm in front of her family as Malfoy and his friends made their way to an empty booth. She immediately lowered her eyes to the remainder of her vanilla and white chocolate ice cream. However, it was not enough to distract her from the feeling of his intense gaze on her.

As time went on, his gaze never left her. She tried with all her might to keep up with the conversations around her but it was impossible. She began feeling overheated and suddenly suffered from a bout of dizziness. She knew the cause of her discomfort but she refused to face him. Eventually it just got too much for her to handle. Lily stood up so abruptly that she startled some of her family. "Please excuse me for a moment." she announced and made her way to the restroom at once, leaving her family to share their surprise. She hurried pass Malfoy without looking at him. She knew if she looked his way, she would betray herself to both him and Duanne.

"Come on Lily pull yourself together." she muttered and splashed cold water over her face. She rested her hands on the counter and used it to support herself. Slowly, she raised her head and stared at her reflection. She didn't know what was happening to her. Before last evening, she thought she hated Malfoy, but now she wasn't so sure.

They were getting along better nowadays but that wasn't saying much. She knew that he was playing some kind of game with her, but she wasn't sure if she'd be able to resist much longer. Her feelings confused her, and all she could do was blame herself for allowing him to kiss her. It hadn't even been a proper kiss but now her heart raced whenever she saw him, so much so that she thought she might pass out.

When she saw him with the other girls, she couldn't help but feel so jealous that she wanted to hex the lot of them. She was definitely in trouble and she had nowhere to turn. Her friends wouldn't understand, how could they when she didn't. He was everything she hated, but somehow she wanted him to prove her wrong.

She splashed her face with more water, at the same time the door opened behind her. She could see the person's reflection in the mirror. Hazel eyes locked with silver-blue ones.

"Hey Lily." He murmured and Lily all but froze in his presence as her heart sped into overdrive.

"This is the girls bathroom, you shouldn't be here." She managed to squeak out and she once again used the counter for support.

Malfoy leant nonchalantly against the doorframe gazing at her reflection. Lily couldn't bring herself to turn to face him. Seeing his reflection was causing enough havoc on her body. He let out a heavy sigh, "I know, I just wanted to talk to you for a moment."

"I have nothing to say to you." She lied, hoping in vain that he would leave.

Pain etched across his face, "Don't be like that." He sighed and approached her. She stiffened at his advances but still did not turn to face him. His expression confused her, he looked sincere but then again, he was a Slytherin. Trickery was in their nature. She couldn't allow herself to be sucked in by it. Well, that was her brains opinion on the matter, in truth, it was a lot more complicated than that.

He stood behind her, so close that there was contact between her back and his chest. Her eyes widened as she continued to stare at his reflection. He raised his hands and cupped her shoulders, holding her in place. His right hand slowly followed the line of her shoulder and caressed her neck. She took a sharp intake of breath. He continued to trace the shape of her shoulder with calloused hands and nudged the strap of her dress bearing the skin.

He gave her one bold look and then ducked his head, brushing his lips against the newly revealed skin. The breath Lily had been holding gushed out of her at once. She felt light-headed and was careful not to waver unsteadily. Her head dropped backwards, so that it rested against his left shoulder.

He kissed her shoulder again and then placed a few more kisses as he journeyed to her throat. All the while, Lily felt helpless to stop him, in fact she didn't want to stop him. She leant back towards him, increasing their contact. His left hand left her shoulder and he rested his palm against the flat of her stomach, an act which held her closer to him. Lily's own arm raised and settled in his hair. A few gasps escaped her lips and she knew what she was doing was wrong. She'd given in to temptation without even realising it.

Part of her wanted him to continue and it was only an errant thought of Duanne which allowed her to protest. "Stop, Duanne-" she gasped, her tone full of meaning. Although she wasn't dating Duanne and now had no desire to do so, it still felt like she was being unfaithful. Malfoy was pursuing her, even though he knew how his best friend felt about her.

He frowned but didn't move away. Instead he raised his head and rested his chin against her shoulder. His eyes sought the reflection of hers in order to achieve eye contact. "I've seen the way you look at him, your feelings for him have changed." He stated confidently.

"You can't know that." She stammered, her breathing erratic.

He spun her around so that it forced her look him directly in the eyes. "I do and he deserves to know that you don't want him."

Lily closed her eyes knowing that he spoke the truth but she didn't want to accept that just yet. She wished her life was easy. That her feeling for Duanne hadn't faded away and that her feelings for Malfoy never existed. "I don't want you either." She said defiantly, willing the words to be true.

He chuckled, seeing through the lie. "Keep telling yourself that, maybe it will come true, but I doubt it."

"You are not sucking me in with your games." She said, a little fearful that it was too late. However she kept hold of the last defences of her argument.

She watched his expression turned serious. "What if I'm not playing any games?" He asked.

"I-I," Lily stammered, she didn't have the answer. All she knew was that she could not, and would not, face this discussion on this of all days. Her expression turned harsh and she managed to conjure up the anger she needed to get through the next few moments alone with him. "Just leave me before I scream and have my family coming to my aid."

The took a step backwards and shook his head in disappointment "And you call yourself a Gryffindor" He sighed.

Lily gritted her teeth, "Just get out!" she spat.

His features turned harsh for a moment before returning to the stoic calmness which often graced his face, "Fine, I'll see you around Lily" He said and left the room, the door slamming shut behind him.

"Don't call me Lily!" She shouted after him but she wasn't sure if he heard her.

With him gone, Lily grabbed a nearby stool and slumped into it. With her head bowed, her hair fell into her face. It tickled her so she combed the strands behind her ears, it was only then did she realise she was trembling. She locked her fingers together to steady her hands and held them in her lap. Taking deep breaths she attempted to combat the symptoms which occurred due to being near Malfoy.

"Lily?" A feminine voice inquired as the door creaked open once more.

Her head shot up in an instant and she saw the concerned expression on her cousin Victoire's face. Before she had chance to voice her concern Lily spoke up. "Hey Vic!" She said and got up from her chair and hugged her. Lily's eyes widened when she felt her cousin's swollen stomach between them. This was exactly what she needed to direct her thoughts away from Malfoy. "Wow, I don't know how you are managing to hide that, even if you are wearing that baggy robe. You're really getting big now."

Victoire chuckled, "With difficulty," she admitted, "It's a bit warm under this robe, but it's the only thing that will hide the bump." she told her.

Lily didn't understand why Victoire didn't just remove the robe and announce to everyone her condition. "To be honest, that's actually what I wanted to talk to you about while we are away from the others. Now that we have all the family together, would you mind if Teddy and I tell everyone I'm pregnant."

Lily's eyes widened when she realised that Victoire was only holding back sharing the news because it was Lily's birthday. She didn't want to steal her thunder, as some people would put it. Lily honestly felt honoured that Victoire wanted to announce her news on her birthday.

She wrapped an arm around her cousin's shoulders and grinned mischievously, "Not at all, let's go tell everyone you have a bun in the oven." she laughed, "Then you can take that damn thing off. It makes me sweat just looking at you." Lily teased and the pair of them made their way back to the table so that Victoire and Teddy could share their news with them.

**I hope you enjoyed reading this chapter and I'm sorry for its lateness. I'm going to try and include a reference if not an encounter with Scorpius Malfoy in every chapter from now on!**

**I'd love to hear what you think of this chapter and my story as a whole. **

**Thank you for reading xXx**


	27. C27: February 14th afternoon

**Thank you to everyone who reviewed my last chapter. I now have three stories on the go. It may be a while between updates but I'm trying to update at least one of my stories each week. If there are any Covenant fans out there, or even if you just like my writing style, please check out my new story Bloodlines (Rated M for later chapter content).**

**I hope you enjoy this chapter, it's a bit of a filler really. (Approximately 23 chapters to go!- yay me. It's only taken me six months or so.)**

**A big thanks to Charlie and Taylor for beta reading this chapter.**

Chapter 27 - February 14th Afternoon

After Lily and the girls had returned to Hogwarts, Delia and Jess both went to gather their clothes for the evening. They then joined Maggie and Lily in the Gryffindor common room. They, like many of the other Gryffindors were creating their masks to wear in the evening. "I can't believe your cousin is pregnant?" Jess commented as she lglanced up from her mask and stared into the fire.

Lily peered down at Jess from the arm chair she sat in. Jess sat by her feet and Maggie and Delia also sat on the floor. "I thought the large bump attached to her abdomen was evidence enough?" She laughed recalling how Victoire had announced her pregnancy.

After their talk in the ladies room, the two cousins had walked over to the family's table and given Teddy the nod. Lily then took her seat and watched the developing scene with excitement. Victoire had then walked to stand next to her husband and had boldly unfastened her over robes, revealing her maternity clothes underneath and her evident baby bump. Everyone had almost died of shock. It had been hilarious watching her relatives' faces go from blank shock, then understanding, surprise and finally glee.

Jess tipped her head backwards so that she looked up at Lily and stuck out her tongue. "You know what I mean." She sighed, "It's just-, how old is she?" She questioned after a short pause.

Lily tallied up the years in her mind. "She's twenty four and Teddy is two years older. I think it's a perfect age to be starting a family." She concluded in a thoughtful manner.

"It's still so young." Jess stated.

Delia looked at her in shocked surprise and Maggie raised an aristocratic brow at Jess's remark. "Jess, most witches and wizards get married within three or four years of leaving Hogwarts. It isn't that strange that they're settling down." She pointed out. Lily knew that Maggie's parents had married six months after leaving Hogwarts. However, like with many of the pureblood families, their marriage had been arranged.

"Is it not like that for muggles?" Delia asked curiously.

Jess shrugged, "For some I guess, some have kids younger but nowadays people can be in their late twenties and thirties before they even think about it."

"I hope I don't have to wait that long." Maggie sighed. Lily could tell that what she was really meaning was that: She hoped she didn't have to wait that long before she could escape from the grasp of her parents.

Lily thought about Jess's comment. She didn't know many people her parents age whom had just got married. They'd all been married for years. Although she did know someone who'd waited several years before starting a family. "My god mother Luna had her children later than usual, but that was because she went on the hunt of mysterious beasts."

Maggie laughed, "You can't use her as an example, she is a bit ah…crazy." She chuckled.

Lily had to admit her god mother was a little quirky but crazy wasn't really the appropriate word. "You leave Aunt Luna alone." Lily said and then chuckled when Delia had jumped to her defence with a similar series of words.

Maggie rolled her eyes and sighed. "Sorry, I forgot she was a close friend of both your families." She apologized and her apology was gracefully accepted by both girls.

__

"You finished with your mask?" Delia asked about half an hour later when she held up her finished mask.

Lily looked at her own mask and assessed whether it needed any more adjustments. After a few moments deliberation she finally decided that it was in fact done. "Yup, I don't suppose it's a bit of a giveaway if there is a lily attached to it?" She asked showing her mask to the others. It was red, the same red as the dress Maggie had bought her and had gold trimming. On one side of the mask, there was a white lily with gold, red and pearl coloured ribbons trailing from it.

Maggie praised Lily's attempt and then smirked. "Probably not. Not many people know you like the flower. They don't expect you to be so cheesy." She teased mischievously.

"Shush!" Lily laughed and threw a cushion at Maggie's head; it bounced off and startled Jess when it landed in her lap. After the laughter died down, Lily cocked her head thoughtfully. "I don't suppose you've mentioned it to anyone have you Mags?" She asked, silently hoping that she had.

Maggie frowned and shook her head, "No, why?"

Lily sighed with disappointment, "Well I got an everlasting lily for both Christmas and my birthday and I was wondering if you had mentioned it to anyone." She shrugged.

Maggie's face turned thoughtful once more. For a second it looked as if she remembered something but then she shook her head again. "Not that I can recall" She added.

"What about you two?" Lily pressed hopefully looking at Delia and Jess.

"I don't believe the conversation has ever arisen." Jess said apologetically and Delia shook her head.

Lily let her head fall against the back of her chair and looked deflated. "Damn, I really hoped you could help shed light on my mystery man."

Lily could almost sense her friends exchanging worried glances as they thought of a way to cheer her up. Maggie was the first to break the expanding silence between them. "Who says it's a boy. Might be a girl! Could be Jessica here, we've all heard how she swings both ways." She joked.

Jess made a noise showing how appalled she was by the suggestion. "Put a sock in it Mags, I wish I hadn't told you now." She complained but the humour was evident in her tone. She lifted the cushion which was still in her lap and launched it at Maggie.

"Ah, it's ok Jess, I'm only teasing." Maggie laughed as she caught the cushion this time. Lily smiled, feeling suddenly lighter. "The party starts soon; do you think we should start getting ready?" Maggie added after she looked around the common room and found it empty of other students.

Lily looked at her watch and was surprised by how late it was. They only had an hour and a half before the ball was due to begin. "That's probably a good idea, who knows how long it's going to take us. Are you two still up to coming up to our dorm?" She asked, turning to the non Gryffindors.

Delia shrugged "Yeah, if you don't think it will be too crowded."

Maggie chuckled, "Two extra people aren't going to make much of a difference." She pointed out and they got up and headed to the dorm room.

___

Coleen and the other Gryffindor girls were almost dressed when Lily and the rest entered the room. They looked surprise at how late the girls were leaving it, but didn't comment about it. It probably worked out for the best as it enabled the quartet to spread out more as they got ready. Within minutes, the girls had stripped to their underwear and donned their dressing gowns.

Their outfits were already hung up on the rails of Lily's bed so that they didn't get creased. Lily immediately set to work, dressing each of the outfits adding accessories, an act her friends were all too happy to let her carry out. Maggie took up the role of clipping each of the girls' hair into loose buns. Jess' hair was the most difficult to put into the style as it was a lot shorter than the other girls.

While Maggie did the hair, Jess did everyone's makeup, picking out the key colours of each of the girls outfit. She did a similar style for each girl. She used smoky eye shadow, lots of eyeliner and false eyelashes as they were essential so their eyes would pop out when they wore their masks. She kept the rest of the make up soft and neutral and used a lip-gloss spelled to be the same colour of the girl's dress. Delia was in charge of the music and the drinks. She also took the opportunity to do Maggie's hair and Jess' make up.

During the time they spent getting ready, Jess sent her entire makeup set spilling off Lily's bed and onto the floor. "I'm so sorry" she apologized with alarm. Lily looked up from what she was doing. She'd been looking for her bag as she had something special in it which she wanted to share with her friends. She couldn't find it anywhere. "That's ok Jess. I'll sort it out later." She told her reassuringly as she tried to think where she left her bag, she suddenly remembered putting it down by the fire. "I left my bag in the common room. I won't be long." She announced and left the room still wearing her dressing gown but with her hair and make up done.

____

The room was full of people she couldn't recognise. It confused her at first but then she realised that they had already taken their potion. Lily was impressed, she was quite sceptical about what effect changing the eye and hair colour of person could really have. She weaved her way through the students and headed to the fireplace. As suspected, her bag was still there. She stooped to claim it when she heard someone calling her name.

Looking up, she saw her brothers as well as her cousin Louis dressed for the party and about to take their potion. Lily memorised what they were wearing so that she could avoid them later. She would be careful not to let them see her outfit, that way she would be able to dance freely before she found Duanne. "You can't go down to the ball looking like that." James smirked, eyeing her attire with amusement.

"Ha-ha James." She said sarcastically, "Shouldn't you and Louis be down with the staff. You're not students anymore." She pointed out.

James screwed up his face with disgust, "Don't be such a party pooper Lils. We just want to have a little fun. And we're not really staff, more like guests."

Lily chuckled, "Is that your excuse to explain why it's ok for you to flirt with the students?" She asked innocently.

"We've not been flirting with anyone." Both Louis and James complained, shocked by her assumption.

Lily faked a cough: "Cough…Amelia…Cough…Jess…Cough."

James rolled his eyes at his sister's observations. "Very funny Lily, now go upstairs and put some clothes on." He ordered. Lily flashed him a brilliant smile, swung her bag over her shoulder and scampered off back up to her dormitory.

She passed a few students on the stairs but didn't recognise them. When she entered her room she found only her three friends there. They were all sat on Maggie's bed looking at a stylishly wrapped box. They each looked over at her when they heard Lily enter. "Lily, this present had fallen under your bed. I found it when I cleared up the mess I made." Jess told her and handed the gift to her.

Lily grinned, pleasantly surprised. She didn't know how she could have missed it. She took the package from Jess and un-wrapped it. "It's always fun to find another present." She exclaimed in a slightly childish manner, excitement evident in her tone.

"What is it?" The girls asked eagerly.

Lily let the wrapping fall to the floor. "It's a box! A beautifully crafted ebony jewellery box with a mother of pearl lily embossed on the lid." She announced as she examined the gift. It really was stunning and was probably an antique. Lily couldn't think of anyone who would spend that much on her.

"Who's it from?" Maggie asked.

Lily searched for a name tag but there wasn't one. "I have no idea, it doesn't say." She said surprised. It was one thing spending a ridiculous amount of money on her, but quite another to not let her know who the gift was from.

Lily placed the box on the bed and the girls stood over it, running their fingers across the polished surface in admiration.

"Maybe it's from the same person who got you the lilies?" Jess suggested.

"Could be." Lily shrugged, it was possible after all. Both gifts were anonymous and had something to do with Lilies.

"What's the inside like?" Delia asked.

Lily carefully opened the lid and the word _wow _came to mind. The box was lined with emerald velvet but that wasn't what had caught the girls' attention. It quickly came apparent that the box wasn't the gift but a fancy case for the _real_ gift. Lying on a bed of luscious fabric, was a platinum necklace. Dangling from it was a highly detailed replica of the head of a lily flower. The petals of the pendant appeared to be large emeralds and it was the most amazing creation Lily had ever seen.

She pinched the delicate chain between her fingers and held it up so everyone could get a better look. As she admired it an errant thought flashed through her mind. She was slightly disappointed that it wouldn't match her outfit tonight. As she thought it, the most amazing thing occurred. Before their very eyes, the platinum chain turned gold and the emerald gems of the petals, transformed into opals. "That is incredible." she gasped.

Maggie squealed with excitement. "Slip your dress on and try it on." She encouraged and Lily did so immediately. She ran to the mirror and gazed at her reflection. They all praised the skill and talent that had been put into the item. Lily knew immediately that she never wanted to take the necklace off. "It's perfect, you're so lucky." Maggie exclaimed, there was no jealousy in her tone, only admiration. "I wish I had a secret admirer." she sighed in a slightly dreamy manner.

Lily hugged her friend, "You never know Mags, maybe you do have one out there somewhere." She told her and Maggie laughed as if the very thought was ridiculous. Receiving Valentine's Day gifts was one thing, but for someone to truly be her admirer, it meant accepting who her family was. Although there wasn't ever any bad press about her parents, everyone knew how cold, callous and ambitious they were. It was a difficult thing for suitors to work around. It was probably why Maggie's relationships never lasted more than a week and it was just another reason for Lily not to pursue Duanne. Lily didn't mention that her brother Albus, would brave anything to be with Maggie. Lily knew she had to let them work things out for themselves. Jess and Lily exchanged a knowing look just before they finished off getting ready.

___

Lily's wand holster was the last thing she added to her body after the gold shawl Jess had bought her. She gazed at her friends; they all looked stunning in their dresses of varying shades of pink and red. Their masks were complimenting their respective outfits perfectly. There was only one thing missing which Lily had stored away in her little black bag. "Before we take our potion and go downstairs, I have a gift for you all." She told them and cast a summing charm to retrieve the gifts from her bag.

Her friends looked surprised, "Lily, you know this whole birthday thing. You get given presents, not the other way around." Jess mocked in a friendly manner.

Lily shrugged and grinned, "I bought one for myself as well." She explained, "I bought them a while ago for tonight so shut up and open them." She laughed and handed each of the girls a little black case with their name on it.

They opened the gifts at the same time and they all smiled with joy. "These are beautiful!" They exclaimed in turn.

Lily picked out her own bracelet and slipped it onto her wrist. It was a mixture and white and yellow gold so that it would look well with any outfit. "They're almost identical except for the house charm!" She informed them and fondled the little golden lion on her bracelet. "There are also links for you to add more personal charms."

"Thanks Lily." They all crooned and embraced Lily in an emotional group hug. The bracelets were more than a gift; they were a symbol of their close friendship which had lasted since their first day of Hogwarts, despite the obstacle of not being in the same house. Lily resisted the urge to allow her tears escape her eyes. She didn't want to risk smudging her makeup.

"Shall be brave the potion now?" She asked once she managed to compose herself. The girls nodded and opened the tiny vials, drinking every last drop of the potion. The effect was immediate and Lily watched her transformation in the mirror. Her vibrant red hair transformed into a jet black and her hazel eyes were suddenly a striking emerald green. Lily stared at her reflection in awe, this was what she would have looked like if she had inherited her father's colouring. Lily squealed with delight, she actually looked like a Potter!

She tore her eyes away from her reflection and was astonished by what she saw. All her friend were the same, but they didn't look it. Maggie's hair was a light brown, even paler than the hue of her skin. Jess was now a light blonde and Delia- Delia was wearing a horrified expression when she examined her bright red locks. "What am I going to do? I look ridiculous." She wailed. Her new hair tone, although beautiful, clashed terribly with her pink dress.

"Welcome to my world!" Lily sniggered.

Delia gazed at her furiously "Be serious, I can't go to the ball looking like this." She complained.

Lily chuckled and opened her wardrobe when she had an idea. Delia's hair was pretty close to the colour of Lily natural shade. She picked out the ball gown she was originally going to wear tonight and handed it to Delia, "You can try on the dress I was going to wear. You should look beautiful in it."

Delia beamed at her, "Thank you Lily, you are a life saver."

The girls quickly helped Delia out of the offensive pink dress and into the red one. It was longer than it would have been on Lily and a little tighter around the hips but there was no denying the fact that, Delia looked just as beautiful in that, as she did in the pink gown before she transformed into a redhead. It was lucky that all her accessories, even the mask, were silver. It meant that only her lip gloss needed altering so it wasn't as big a catastrophe as it could have been. Once they were all ready, they descended the stairs and made their way to the party outside.

**I'd love to know what you thought of this chapter, Thank you for reading!**


	28. C28: February 14th evening

**Chapter 28/50. To everyone who reviewed my last chapter: Thank you! Also, a big thank you to my amazing beta readers, I couldn't have finished this with out you. **

**I hope you enjoy this one…**

Chapter 28 - February 14th Evening

When Lily exited the castle with her friends, they found the evening air to be surprisingly mild. Thankfully, it was not the stifling heat of earlier in the day, nor was there a chill in the air like previous evenings. The night was a perfect temperature for the evening's event. They descended the stairs, heading to the cloisters and down a path, which would then lead on to the lawn.

Long before they even saw their destination, the delicate floral scent surrounded them. Lily took a deep breath, relishing in the scent and showed her delight with a grin of excitement. She linked fingers with two of her friends who were on either side of her and looked in the direction the other students were heading.

They had now approached the lawn and the sight that met them was like something out of a fairytale. Luminous gravel led their way down to the party on the grass, it reminded Lily of millions of diamonds embedded in the ground. They crunched beneath their feet as they tottered down the path. The girls had to use each other for support because their stiletto heels sank into the ground as they walked. Their instability meant that they were happily chuckling away after only a few steps.

As Lily stumbled slightly, she examined the white and pink rose bushes on either side of the track, they were the source of the floral scent in the air. They were thorn-less and had an unnatural glow about them. The peculiar light they emitted, enabled them to find their way in the near darkness. It was impressive that they could act as both fragrance and lighting for the evening.

As they progressed down the walkway, Lily spotted several marquees made from white veil-like fabric. It was unlike the fabric used for the pavilions at her cousins wedding, as these were transparent. This meant that they could make out the figures of the occupants. Lily could see that each one had its own function.

One tent was for the younger students. A wise decision since it wouldn't go down well if say, a seventh year mistook a first year to be older than they actually were. That could lead to various complex and embarrassing situations! There was a small dance floor in the centre, but there were also several fun games on offer for those who didn't want to dance. Lily could make out quite a few of the younger students whom were reluctant to dance.

The centre tent served food and the larger one was for the older students to spend the evening in. There were staff members in each. Chaperones supervising the students so that things did not get out of hand. Lily wondered which tent James and Louis were in. She suspected that they might have tried to work it for that they chaperone the elder students, not that they would be reliable escorts. They were likely to encourage misbehaviour rather than prevent it.

The four girls entered the food tent first through a rose arch. Blush and pearl heart shaped confetti fell from the arch. Maggie groaned and rushed through the entrance, trying to avoid the falling flakes. She then went on to examine her dress to see if any of them had stuck to her clothing. They then discovered that the confetti was charmed so that it fell around any students who stood beneath the arch. Lily was grateful for that little detail, as she knew it would become annoying if she had to constantly brush the flakes off her.

Nearly everything in the marquee was white, the floors, the furniture, even the fairies flying above their heads were dressed in white and holding little heart shaped lanterns. On the lavishly dressed table, all the appetizers were sculpted into little heart shapes in fitting with the theme. The décor managed to bring in the elements of the holiday whilst being tasteful rather than tacky. The effect was not overly girly, which was good because no doubt the boys would protest and maybe rebel. There was no point having a ball if the boys refused to enter the tents.

Lily grabbed a porcelain plate and filled it with the heart shaped canapés as her friends did the same. The feast served a wide variety of food, not unlike previous feasts, only they were done in miniature. The tiny heart shaped cream and jam scones were her favourite. Lily had a craving for everything sweet tonight. She knew that if they were going to dance all night, they were going to have to eat first to boost their energy levels. There was no better way to do that, than to eat sugary food.

When the girls had their fill of the bite-size treats, Jess suggested that they head to the main tent. Upon leaving by the same route they entered, they glanced back at the castle. It was covered by tiny white shining orbs, like the stars glowing in the clear night's sky. The effect was dazzling, it was truly beautiful. Lily couldn't remember the castle ever looking so magical. Professor Thomas had done a great job in preparing for this ball. She hoped that she would take charge of the decorations for all the balls from then on.

After exclaiming over the beauty of it all, the girls entered the main tent under another confetti sprinkling, rose arch. The colour scheme was the same as the other tents, sparkling white. At the far end of the room, there was a drinks table and dozens of ornate white chairs were set out around the perimeter. A few people sat in them, but not many. The remainder of the space was a large dance floor, which already had many couples dancing along to the romantic tunes. It was not the type of music Lily enjoyed to listen to, but it was appropriate for the event. She would happily endure the audio torture for the one night.

The four of them hadn't been in the main tent more than five minutes, when Delia started getting agitated. She huffed indignantly as she massaged the tension out of her neck muscles. She'd been craning her neck and inspecting the other masked students since the moment she stepped under the rose arch. "This is ridiculous, how am I going to find Hugo?" She complained loudly and slumped against Lily in defeat. The action sent Lily slightly off balance but she soon adjusted to the pressure Delia exerted on her body.

Lily hooked her arm around Delia's shoulder and willingly joined in with the search. Since Hugo was her cousin, she should be able to narrow down the possible suspects. She spotted both of her brothers and Louis in the crowd by the outfits they were wearing, but not Hugo. Lily hated failure and wished she had asked him what he would be wearing when she'd had the chance.

In truth, she hadn't realised how distressed Delia would become after such short a time. Lily suspected she'd underestimated how strong Delia's feelings about her cousin actually were. She felt ashamed by how she'd reacted the first time she'd found out about them. Lily was determined never to give her friends, or her relations, a hard time about who they fell for. They were all amazing people and it was ridiculous to believe that they wouldn't realise how remarkable each of them were.

They pushed through a group of masked students and found a clear space near some chairs. "Try shouting his name as you pass through the crowd. Maybe he'll hear you!" Jess offered, trying to be helpful since no one had come up with a better idea.

Delia paused and her face lit up as a plan formed in her mind. "That is a brilliant idea Jess my dear!" She exclaimed excitedly. Without warning, she lifted the skirt of Lily's dress up by the hem and took her wand from the holster.

Lily shrieked in surprise and glared at Delia- She felt mildly violated by the shorter girl, although Delia probably couldn't see that because of the mask. Delia just shrugged as if it was no big deal. "I left my wand in your room." She explained and then offered her hand to Lily. Lily looked at it confused, but didn't take her hand. Delia sighed at Lily stubbornness. "Help me up." She demanded and the determination was evident by the set of her mouth. Lily grumbled slightly but gave her hand to Delia, helping her climb onto a nearby chair.

"What are you doing Delia?" Maggie whispered wearily as people started staring at them. She and Jess stared up a Delia with mild horror as she continued to cause a scene.

Delia steadied her balance on the flimsy chair and gazed down at the three of them. Lily found looking up at her peculiar as it was usually the other way around. Delia waved Lily's wand around casually and rogue sparks flew out of the end. "Attracting the attention of my man!" She sighed, stating the obvious, as Lily grumbled about how Delia was abusing her poor wand.

"I just knew we should have met up in the Gryffindor common room so that we could have all come down together." She added more to herself than anyone else as she searched the crowd. Several people looked their way, some seemed curious, others confused and the rest, well they were clearly amused. She shrugged and met Lily's gaze again. "I suggest, if you wish to remain anonymous, that you back away now."

Lily could almost see what was going to happen next and was mortified. "I don't suppose taking a few steps back would hurt." She stated, rolling her now emerald green eyes. She took a few steps away from Delia and dragged Jess and Maggie with her. They were all dreading the scene Delia was about to make.

Delia pointed Lily's wand at her throat and muttered a spell. "HUGO WEASLEY" Delia's magnified voice boomed over the music.

Lily watched as all the faces in the crowd now turned to Delia in surprise. Her own ears were ringing after Delia's announcement. There was a lot of laughter and muttering but it didn't appear to bother her friend.

A moment later- a tall boy with a lanky build and curly black hair- stood forward, away from his group of friends. He looked up at Delia through uncertain eyes as he approached her. Ever so often, he glanced at the sniggering crowd. Lily saw the boy's ears develop a pink tint and knew it was her cousin.

He reached the chair and gazed up at Delia, his eyes drinking in the sight of her and smiled sheepishly. "Hi Del. You look beautiful." He informed her bashfully.

Lily saw Delia blush now. Another eye roll was in order: Delia wasn't disturbed by people staring at her, but a few words from Hugo hade her face as red as what her hair now was. Lily thought it was very sweet. Delia cast the counter charm on herself and tossed the wand back to Lily. Lily caught it as a result of her fine seeker skills and quickly and decrepitly returned her wand to its holster on her thigh.

With her hands now free, Delia placed one on both of Hugo's shoulders. "Dance with me!" Delia demanded as she beamed at him.

He placed his hands around her waist and lifted her off the chair, setting her gently on the ground just in front of him. His ears glowed a fiercer pink with embarrassment. "Ok!" He agreed. "I'll apologise in advance, I'm not really good at this." Hugo admitted and led Delia to the dance floor. Lily didn't watch them after that as she wished to give them their privacy.

The scene had attracted the attention of other males who were now coming forward and asking them to dance. It was doubtful that they had figured out their identities, only all the fuss had brought the fact that the three girls didn't have partners, to their attention.

A boy with dusty red hair and pale skin; wearing black dress robes and a red mask; came up to Lily and offered a hand out to her. "Do you fancy a dance?" He asked politely.

Lily was stunned at first, "Oh…ok!" She began but then someone tugged on her elbow. "Hey!" She complained as another male who'd interrupted her, dragged her onto the dance floor without her permission. "The next one!" She called back to the first boy who actually had the manners to ask her. He seemed a little put out but he smiled and nodded to her in response.

Lily turned to look at her current partner. She was going to give his a piece of her mind but her words caught in her throat. He was dressed in light grey from head to foot. His dress robes weren't traditional. They were similar to a muggle tuxedo but the back of the jacket was long as it morphed into a cloak. Lily recognised the design: it was hers. One of her many modern takes on traditional wear. The look suited his body, as if she had unwittingly had him in mind when she designed it. The material hugged his muscles nicely which made Lily conclude that the boy was a Quidditch player, either on the first team or reserves.

Her gaze trailed up towards his face. His eyes glowed amber behind his silver mask. His hair was straight, slightly too long and the deepest red she had ever seen. If the potion worked in a consistent manner, she concluded that the boy's original hair colour was blonde like Delia's. However since his hair was a deeper shade of red, she could only guess that he either had really dark or really light blonde hair. She didn't know which direction the potion had taken. His full lips were curved into a cocky smile as he noticed her giving him the once over.

Lily began frowning in an instant and scolded herself for being so obvious about her interest in the male. Looking away, she realised that they were now in the middle of the dance floor and many couples danced around them. "That was rude! Why did you do that?" She asked, returning her unyielding gaze to his.

He ignored her and placed an open palm against the small of her back. The action reduced the distance between their bodies and she gasped at the accidental contact.

There was something about his confidence or arrogance, that made her body come to life. Her stomach muscles tightened and she began to feel slightly light-headed. She knew she shouldn't be standing so close to him, but then she was reminded of the fact that, he didn't know who she was.

In the end she abandoned propriety and took the opportunity to use him as support. She took a deep breath and allowed the oxygen rush around her body and finished the dance stance. She placed a hand on his shoulder with her forearm resting firmly against his chest and slipped her other hand in his. His hands were large and easily encased hers.

When they started moving, she definitely didn't feel the need to complain. The guy could dance better than anyone she'd ever been partnered with before. She was in no danger of having her feet trodden on, so she let him lead. She moved with him, enjoying herself. To dance without thinking and without caution was a new thing for her.

She recalled the numerous dance partners she'd had before at parties and weddings, none had been as skilful as the male in front of her now. She flashed him a radiant smile and he returned it, seeming to relax himself. She blushed every time their bodies brushed against each other. Lily put it down to the fact that she had no idea who he was.

"You wouldn't believe me." He sighed after a few moments passed.

Lily didn't understand what he meant at first, but then she realised that he was answering her earlier question. "Try me!" She challenged.

He smirked, span her around, and then dragged her to him forcefully. She slammed into him and he dropped both hands to her waist. She ignored the butterflies fluttering in her stomach and in turn, brought her hands up to rest on the back of his neck. Her fingers absently twirled his silky soft hair around them. He dipped his head so that his lips gently nipped her ear. The action, which may or may not have been intentional, caused a raspy breath to escape her lips and sent a series of goose-bumps ripple across her skin.

"I wanted to be your first!" He whispered.

"Excuse me!" Lily gasped, leaning away from him so that she could see the parts of his face which weren't concealed by his mask.

He smiled again, but this time it wasn't a smirk and it held no trace of cockiness. It was a heart-warming smile without intent. "Your first dance of the evening. It's always special and I never got the chance to dance with you before."

She frowned as the implication behind his words muddled through her confusion. The fact that his lips were now brushing against her neck, didn't help. "You have no idea who I am." She barely managed to point out.

He chuckled and Lily felt the vibrations against her throat. Slowly he moved away so that he could cup her cheek with one hand as they danced. His gaze was intent on her eyes, as he gently brushed her lips with the tip of his thumb. Her lips parted slightly and he groaned before he whispered. "Dear Lily, it's pretty hard to mistake who you are, but then again, others don't notice you the way I do."

She gasped at his confession. It was a little weird that he knew it was her but she couldn't deny the thrill it gave her. She could have refuted his claim but didn't. "Well seeing as you know me, won't you tell me your name?" She asked.

He laughed and shook his head at her request. "You know me! It will come to you eventually."

Slightly annoyed that he wouldn't give her a straight answer, she batted his hand away from her face. She did not break the dance though, instead she rested her cheek against his shoulder and continued to dance to the music. She caught the scent of his aftershave, it seemed familiar but she couldn't place it. Oddly, it provided her with comfort despite the whirlwind of sensations her body was currently feeling.

He continued to hold her in that position for the rest of the song. About half way through the next song, or it could have been the song after that- she didn't know: she glanced up at him. Her arms were still around his neck and his tightly around her waist. He was watching her and smiled as if in apology. His amber eyes lowered to her lips and Lily found her emerald ones drawn to his.

His breathing was slow and he moistened his lips as she watched, she found herself unconsciously doing the same in anticipation of what was to come. Her heart began to race, or it could have even been his. She could feel the speedy thrumming of two heartbeats each beating to different rhythms. As if in slow motion, his lips lowered to hers. She felt the excitement build inside her as his lips brushed against hers. She reacted in kind and his hands came up to the sides of her face needily. It was a miracle that she was able to continue to stand, never mind continue dancing.

Their breathing became quick rasps and she now recognised the sensations she was feeling. She jerked away from him but he held on to her. "Malfoy?" She said in an accusatory tone, for now she knew who her dance partner was.

"I told you, you'll realise who I am." He sighed and his eyes looked sad as he spoke. She continued to struggle against his grasp but he didn't let go. "Now calm down or you'll make a scene."

Lily cursed the very idea of having a masquerade ball and glared at him. "Get-your-hands-off-me." She demanded through gritted teeth. Her hands had left their position from around his neck and now pressed against his chest in a feeble attempt to get away from him.

"Just dance with me until the end of the song and then I'll leave you. I had hoped that it would have taken you longer to guess my identity." He admitted with a deflated sigh.

Lily stopped struggling and gazed up at him. He actually seemed to regret the fact that she'd worked out who he was. It didn't seem to fit. Surely if he was messing with her, he would be gloating and smirking at her right now. "Why is that?" She asked hoarsely, not sure if she really wanted to know the answer.

He relaxed as soon as her struggling ceased. "I like it when we are both…agreeable…to each other." He admitted. Lily had no idea of how to respond. She stood motionless on the spot gazing up at him dumbfounded. She was torn. Part of her wanted to leave immediately whilst the other wanted to stay and believe his words. After a moment of internal deliberation, she agreed to dance until the end of that song. However, their previous closeness was not repeated and they held a suitable distance between their bodies by Lily's request.

When the interval between songs arrived, Lily left him without meeting his eyes and headed for a drink. What was only a short distance seemed like a marathon. Eventually, she reached the table. Her hands shook as she poured a glass of punch, but at least she was able to breathe again.

The last moments of being among the couples with him had been stifling. Even though their identities were hidden, the last person she wanted to be connected with, was Malfoy. She knew the drama that would arise from such a thing. Her brothers would be fuming, her friends wouldn't understand. It was the same argument she played over and over in her mind. One of many excuses she had to not allow herself trust him.

She drained the fruity concoction in one and glanced at the people around her. The boy with the dusty red hair was there, talking to a shorter blonde girl. She needed something to distract her so she approached them. "Fancy that dance now?" She asked with a sweet smile on her lips. He grinned at her, completely ignoring the blonde now.

She slotted her hand in his and dragged him away from his conversation. They walked onto the dance floor and the little blonde girl stared at them in shock. Lily realised that it was rude of her for interrupting them, but she was in a rather selfish mood right now.

The boy could dance, not as well as Malfoy, but well enough. He was also entertaining and there was something familiar about him. She considered asking him who he was but someone cut in.

Soon, Lily found herself dancing with a boy with long brown hair. He was not a skilful dancer and Lily was pleased when another partner cut in. She couldn't recall how many dances she'd had or how many partners had come and gone. She needed to rest but her present partner wasn't cooperating.

He kept spinning her and throwing her around the dance floor. She searched the crowd and spotted the boy with dusty red hair again. They achieved eye contact when Lily was in mid twirl. She sent him a pleading look and he responded immediately by coming to her rescue.

She willingly took his offered hand and they began to move around the dance floor slowly so that Lily could catch her breath. Her previous partner was grumbling as he began the search for his next victim.

They talked and laughed a lot. As they passed other couples, she saw Jess dancing with her cousin Louis. Maggie was also coupled with Albus. Lily was glad to see them dancing although she doubted if Maggie knew who her partner was. By the way Albus was looking at her, he was definitely not ignorant of her identity.

Lily's partner suddenly started laughing hysterically. Several people looked towards him, and Lily was startled by the sound. She looked in the same direction as him and spotted Hugo and Delia slow dancing nearby.

All of Hugo's efforts were spent trying to avoid trampling on Delia's feet, whilst all Delia's efforts were spent trying to get him to look at her and not their feet. Lily laughed along with her partner and suddenly realised why he seemed familiar. "Brain Finnegan is that you?" She asked, hardly believing her own words.

The guy stopped laughing and gazed at her in shock. "I…who?…how?" He stammered.

Lily was still laughing when a couple joined them. She was relieved that Brian didn't know who she was. When she eyed the new couple, Lily recognised Malfoy but not the dark skinned beauty with him. She held Malfoy's hand but her eyes were on Lily's dance partner. "May I cut in?" She asked Brian.

He looked shocked that someone would cut in to dance with _him_. He glanced at Lily and she nodded. She had no intention of dancing with Malfoy again, but she would take the opportunity to go and get another drink. "Sure!" He replied taking the girl's hand from Malfoy's and then took their turn on the dance floor.

Before Lily could leave, Malfoy grabbed her hand and pulled her to him. "I don't want to dance with you." She sighed but her tone lacked conviction now that she was in his arms once again. She hated the weakness she'd developed for him.

He chuckled and they danced among the couples regardless. "Well my friend really wanted to dance with Finnegan. What kind of person would deny her the chance?" He asked, his tone getting serious. "We were lucky that we overheard you talking. She may not have been able to find him another time."

"That was nice I guess," She admitted and added 'if it's true' to herself. She couldn't help but be suspicious of him, it was a habit that was difficult, maybe even impossible to break.

"Tell me one thing. How did you know it was me?" She asked suspiciously.

She distinctly saw his now amber eyes roll. "I recognised the wand…Longbottom?…threw to you. Merlin knows I've had it aimed at me so many times that it's appearance is burned into my memory." He explained in a teasing tone. It caught Lily off guard, it was like he was a completely different person when the people around him didn't know who he was.

They were halfway through the dance when Malfoy stopped. He held her by her shoulders and his gaze was serious when he looked at her. "Give me a chance Lily, no one need know." He said with a slight hint of desperation. Lily knew what he was asking but she wasn't in the right mind to answer there and then. Her brain always seemed to struggle when she was around him these days. Part of her wanted to give him a chance but the other part was afraid to. She still needed more time to think it over.

"I have to find Duanne." She told him after thinking of Duanne for the first time after entering the tent. It was enough to confirm that Duanne definitely wasn't for her but she shrugged that thought aside. "You know Duanne- your best friend." She said accusingly, turning the confusion and anger she felt on him.

The guilt was visible on his partially concealed face. "Don't go out with him. He's not right for you."

She felt angry that he was telling her what to do. "What gives you the right?"

"You know…please, not him."

Suddenly Lily thought she understood what this was doing to him. He was conflicted just like her. He didn't want to betray his friend but he didn't want to be without her either. What he was doing to her didn't seem to be part of a game. She could be wrong but she didn't think he would intentionally hurt or deceive Duanne. She couldn't deal with the revelation just yet, she needed time to come to terms with everything.

She ran away from him. Looking back over her shoulder, she saw the pain in his features as he watched her go. It was obvious that he'd interpreted her retreat as a 'No' but she didn't have the strength to set him right just yet. She'd find him again once she sorted things out with Duanne. She had no idea how her life had become so complicated. She'd hated him for the last five years, why couldn't she continue to hate him?

She rushed over to the drinks table wishing she was old enough to drink something stronger than Butterbeer. She tried in vain to grab a glass of pink champagne but a magical force field encased the alcohol to prevent underage drinking. A sensible thing to do, but at that moment, Lily didn't appreciate it.

She poured herself a pint of Butterbeer thinking that if she drank enough of it, it would take the edge off how conflicted she felt. She drained it quickly and poured herself another. It helped a little, but not much.

She refused to look at the dance floor in case she saw Malfoy there, so she watched the students by the drinks table. A tall dark-skinned boy wearing a green mask hovered nearby, checking his watch. Lily checked her own and realised it was just after ten. "Duanne?" She asked the boy.

He looked over immediately and eyed her uncertainly. "Lily is that you?" He inquired. She nodded without thinking about what she was going to say to him. She didn't know how she was going to break it to him, that she didn't want to be in a relationship with him.

He walked towards her confidently now. He did look dashing and a radiant smile shone on his face. It was incredible how handsome he was and yet she felt no physical attraction towards him anymore. He was standing close to her when he started to frown. Duanne pointed to her lower face, "You have foam…" He began and Lily stiffened and brought her fingers up to her lips.

"What?" She asked but it was too late. His eyes gleamed mischievously and an impish grin flashed on his face for a split second before his expression became one of seduction. He leaned in to her, his lips coming towards hers until the inevitable happened, they met. From the second the kiss started, she felt none of the emotions she experienced when Malfoy kissed her.

His lips were rougher than Malfoy's and they lacked the tenderness and skill. After a few moments she began to feel as if the kiss wasn't about her at all. It was like he was trying to prove something to himself. She wanted him to stop but she found herself incapable to move. It was as if the guilt she was experiencing had turned her to stone.

He did stop however, without Lily asking him to. He gazed at her in confusion. His hands came to cup her face, they were warm and rough against her skin. His thumbs traced the lower edge of her mask and a sudden burst of inspiration shone from the depth of his eyes.

His hands quickly left her face and removed the mask from his face. She could now see every contour of his finely chiselled aristocratic face. It was enough to make any girl swoon, but not Lily it seemed. He then made quick work of Lily's mask and set it aside on the nearby table. She did nothing to prevent him from doing so, she just stood there gazing at him warily. He examined every detail of her face, drinking in the sight of her hungrily, while she stood there frozen.

His hands came to cup her face once more and he began to kiss her again. It was done more forcefully and urgently than before. Still, she felt nothing, only numbness.

An image of the Gryffindor lion flashed through her mind. She felt her courage and strength build up within her. It got to the point where Lily couldn't take any more and she managed to snap out of the statuesque state she was in.

She pushed against him roughly. "Duanne stop! It's not…" She began.

He broke the kiss and moved away from her in an instant and finished the sentence for her. "…right."

They continued to stare at each other in confusion. Their breathing was not the quick rasps they should have been but were deadly calm. He seemed disappointed, so much so that she felt an apology was in order although it was unnecessary. "I'm sorry." Lily offered meekly.

He brushed her cheek in fine caress of his hand. Regret now shone in his expression, it mixed oddly with the confusion and frustration already evident there. "No no, don't... I just didn't expect…It was just so…" He was incapable of finishing any of his sentences. He turned away from her and leant against the table top. He hid his face in his hands and groaned. "I think I need therapy."

Lily couldn't help the relief flooding through her as she touched his arm and said gently, "We're allowed to be friends you know. It doesn't have to be anything… romantic."

His fingers spread revealing his eyes to her. They seemed full of hidden anguish and conflicted greatly with his smile. He flung them to his side in despair. "But you're beautiful!" He said in an exasperated tone. "The most beautiful witch I have ever seen. I should have felt…something!"

Lily winced for a second but he didn't notice. She didn't like the fact that he was anxious and unsettled, but she didn't understand why he was so distressed. There was definite meaning to his words but he wasn't disclosing it to her. She needed to cheer him up and take his mind off whatever troubles he was hiding. "Ouch! No need to go that far." Lily laughed. She showed him that she wasn't offended and in return saw how grateful he was about that.

His mood seemed slightly lighter and she was relieved that their feelings about each other were mutually platonic. It was hard to believe how lucky she was in this case, "Fancy a dance?" She asked and continued in a teasing tone, "As friends… completely platonic… no romance whatsoever!"

He burst out laughing and took her arm. She felt at peace in his arms now that what needed to be said had occurred. When she moved in for a closer embrace as the music slowed; she felt no awkwardness when she rested her cheek against board chest. She heard him sigh and he wrapped his arms around her protectively. She realised that she was able to let her guard down completely with this Slytherin and it gave her hope that one day she would be able to apply it to certain Slytherin boy. They shared a few dances until they both set off to find different partners.

A while later, Lily stood under one of the archways as the magical confetti fell around her, never touching. The ball was almost at an end and many of the students had coupled off. Masks had been discarded by most and they were happily aware of who they danced with. Lily on the other hand, didn't feel like dancing anymore. She had some serious thinking to do. If she did decide to let things happen between her and Malfoy, she couldn't tell anyone. Not even her best friends.

She hated to admit it, but a relationship in secret did have its appeal. Not that it would be a proper relationship, but then again, that just added to the appeal. There would be no backlash if people didn't know what was going on. If he did try and trick her into exposure, then Lily was intelligent enough to suss that out beforehand.

She still didn't trust him thoroughly, so she would spend as much time as she needed, thinking about the subject before she gave Malfoy her answer. She did know that she needed to tell him that she would consider his request.

With one last sigh, she turned towards the brightly lit castle with every intention of going to bed. Her own mask hung limply from her waistline, she'd attached it there so she wouldn't loose it. Whilst walking through the dimly lit corridors of the castle, she saw numerous couples in slightly compromising positions.

As she passed a couple locked in each other's embrace, pushed up against the wall. The girl's hands roamed the boy's back. Lily blushed when she recognised the bracelet the girl wore. She quickly slapped her hand over her eyes and hurried away from them. Her only thoughts were that she hoped the couple didn't get caught and that she hoped Delia washed her borrowed dress before returning it to Lily.

When Lily thought the coast was clear she uncovered her eyes. She wasn't alone, sitting on a window ledge, near one of the suit of armour, was an unmasked Scorpius Malfoy. He wasn't paying attention to his surroundings, he just stared at the floor.

Lily hesitated as she observed him raking his hand through his red hair. It was lighter than it was before as it was slowly transforming to his natural blonde. He truly looked miserable. She clasped her hand around the lily pendent of her necklace as she summoned the courage she needed.

Knowing what she needed to do, she approached him. It didn't feel right for her to be the one to initiate contact but she didn't back down. He didn't appear to notice her presence until she was standing in front of him and even then, he didn't look up. She shuffled forward so that she stood in the space between the spread of his legs.

A lock of hair fell into his face. Lily stared at it for a while before she brushed the lock with her fingers and tucked it behind his ear. She waited nervously for his reaction.

Slowly, he lifted his head to gaze at her and raised a quizzical brow. She smiled briefly and ran the fingers of both of her hands through his hair. She was becoming more bold in her actions, "You don't suit the colour red." She teased but there was still a trace of awkwardness in her tone.

He released a brief laugh and reached for a loose lock of her own hair, the tips of which were already turning red. He leant forward and kissed the tip. "You do!" He told her as his eyes skimmed over her dress. "You always look good in red."

Lily blushed and lowered her gaze. Compliments from Malfoy were not something she'd get used to any time soon. She leant forward so that her forehead rested against his. She cupped his face as his hands slipped to her hips. She half expected him to kiss her, but was pleased when he didn't. They held their positions for several moments. "Look, this isn't a _yes_ or anything but it's not a _no_ either." She whispered and she heard him release the breath he'd been holding.

When she heard the distant sounds of people moving through the corridors of the castle she took a step backwards and let her arms drop to her side. She gazed into his eyes which now had only the faintest yellow tint to them. She saw a glimmer of hope in them and felt a sense of pleasure wash over her.

She also felt caution as she knew other students were advancing on their location. "When I have an answer you'll be the first to know." He told him before turning away and retreating to her dormitory.

**I hope you liked it. If you have any questions or comments please review. They really do make my day and keep me motivated to continue writing!**

**This didn't turn out how it was meant to! When writing this chapter, my future plans for Duanne changed dramatically - now I need to work on the plot again *sigh***


	29. C29: Madness and Decision Made

**Woo another chapter complete and ready to be read! (21 to go) - You can't imagine how hard to write I found this chapter.**

**I want to thank everyone who reviewed my last chapter and my beta readers! A Big extra thanks to everyone who has helped me achieve 200+ reviews!**

**And now? Well I hope you enjoy what you read.**

Chapter 29- Madness and Decision Made.

Several weeks had come and gone since the Valentine's Day ball. Winter had ended and Spring had finally arrived at Hogwarts. New flowers and baby animals graced the School grounds. Everyone had been cooing over the unicorn foals. Hagrid had managed to catch some and they were penned near his hut for this weeks Care of Magical Creatures lessons. The baby hippogriffs Hagrid also kept, were not as elegant as the foals, but they were just as cute.

The green houses were also full of new additions. Newly sprouted magical plants awaited the Hogwarts students in each of the greenhouses. Lily and the fifth year Gryffindors and Hufflepuffs, had spent the past hour tending to some fanged geraniums. Lily hated the specimens. Although young, they were vicious and out for blood! Her hands were covered in little tiny gashes where she had been careless enough get bitten by the plant.

Her head was everywhere at the moment and she found it increasingly difficult to concentrate on anything with each passing day. She should have been overjoyed with her latest achievement. Gryffindor had defeated Hufflepuff in the latest Quidditch match and Slytherin had also won to Ravenclaw. This meant that if Gryffindor beat Ravenclaw next term, they would win the quidditch cup. That would be a perfect achievement for her first year of captainship. For some reason however, Lily was unable to draw upon the joy of such an achievement and seemed only able to focus on negative events.

Once such event had been caused by the professor currently taking the class. It had began the night of the ball. It had been late, so the potion disguising the student's identities had worn off. Unfortunately, Professor Longbottom had stumbled across his daughter and Hugo during their make out session after the ball. He'd been furious and had given them both detentions for what he called 'indecent behaviour becoming a Hogwart's student'.

His anger was more likely down to the fact that he still saw her as his _little_ girl. The thought of her having a boyfriend hadn't occurred to him. It didn't seem to matter that her boyfriend was also the son of a close family friend. The way Delia dealt with it all did nothing to help matters either. She had reacted by screaming that she was sixteen, therefore legally old enough to make her own decisions and didn't need her father to run her life. They had only just been kissing, albeit passionately!

As a result, he had withdrawn his permission for her to attend the Hogsmeade visits and had banned her from meeting with any Gryffindor- including her own brother- until the end of the term. Up until that point, Professor Longbottom had never been known to overreact! He'd always been a kind and placid teacher whom many a student went to for advice.

Lily had tried to reason with him, but had gained a detention for her efforts. From then on, Lily tried to hide her indignation towards the Professor, but it was difficult. She hated not having Delia around.

Consequently, Delia was forced to share a bench with a group of Hufflepuffs at the front of the greenhouse. Whilst Lily sat at the back with Maggie, Hugo and Brian. Brian usually sat with Chester and Coleen, however they were in the middle of a fight so he couldn't bare the tension. So, instead he joined Lily's table although the atmosphere wasn't much better there. Hugo was also suffering from Delia's absence and his pain was hard to ignore. He looked like a little lost puppy. Lily and Rose were doing their best to cheer him up despite Lily having problems of her own. However she wasn't going to dwell on her problems just yet.

She was busy rubbing ointment on her gashed when Professor Longbottom announced the end of class. Lily looked towards Delia without hesitation. She was gazing at them with a nostalgic look in her eyes. Lily ached to see her friend so miserable. How could Valentine's Day have brought about so much sadness and distress? Hugo and Delia! Coleen and Chester! Jess and even herself. Jess was sulking about the absence of a certain blonde adonis and Lily's own mind was mostly dominated by thoughts of a different blonde altogether.

Maggie dragged Lily out of the green house so she didn't have time to reflect on said blonde. Her thoughts went back to Delia as she saw her heading towards the forest for her next class. Maggie and Lily were heading the other way and hiked up to the castle. Despite Professor Longbottom's new rules, Lily and Maggie were still in contact with Delia. Their method? The mirrors she'd received for her birthday.

Years ago, her father had told her how his father used to communicate with his best friend through a two way mirror when they were in separate detentions. After that, she had asked her Aunts and Uncles whether something similar could be done but as a four way mirror. Now, a year after they agreed to try and create a set, she had received four of them for her birthday.

She met up with Maggie and Jess one day and explained what they were and how to use them: All you need to do is hold the mirror in your hands and call out the name or names of who you want to talk to. Their mirror will then activate and you'll be able to see their reflection/s in the mirror!

They'd managed to keep in contact when in the safety of their common rooms. Lily even leant her mirror to Hugo on the odd occasion.

Lily and Maggie stood just outside the entrance to the castle as their other class mates went to their next lessons. The two would usually spend their free period together but Maggie had other plans. Lily really wanted to delay being alone with her own thoughts, they were making her ill. Anyway, it was so much easier to concentrate on her friends problems and experiences that to look closely at her own. "Do you want me to wait until Albus arrives?" Lily asked quietly.

The other week, Maggie had discovered that Albus had feelings for her. Having never considered that particular Potter boy as a potential boyfriend, she was slowly adjusting to the fact that they were now an item. The duo had plans to chill out by the lake and maybe take a stroll on School grounds.

"Yeah sure." Maggie replied wistfully. They both sat down on a stone bench in a sheltered area near the castle entrance.

Maggie's beetle black eyes roamed Lily's face. They lingered on her face, examining the paleness of her skin and the dark circles under her eyes. They then fluttered down to her wounded hands and a frown graced her exquisite face. It was clear that Lily's odd behaviour since the ball had not gone unnoticed. "What's wrong with you Lily? You've been somewhere else these past weeks. You're making simple mistakes in class, you're hardly eating and I know you're not sleeping properly. Don't try and tell me different" She added when Lily started to protest. "I'm not the only one who's noticed. There are five of us in the dorm room and we've all heard you tossing and turning throughout the night."

Lily sighed and wrapped her arms around her body protectively. It was true, she was having a hard time with things. She felt constantly wired all the time, but not in a good way. She was also averaging on less than two hours of sleep a night and was finding it difficult to concentrate on her work. Everything she did was taking her twice as long as it usually would. She kept cocking up when doing tasks which should be second nature by now. She was even starting to worry about her mental health. It just wasn't health to be experiencing all these emotions twenty-four seven.

She had hoped that no one had noticed. She didn't want to burden her friends with her problems. They all had enough to deal with right now, what with their O.W.L.s looming just over the horizon. However, now that the subject had arisen, her thoughts lingered on Malfoy. Although several weeks had passed since the Valentine's Day ball, Lily still hadn't reached her decision regarding him. Every time she thought she had an answer, her decision would waver in the last minute. She needed someone to talk to but Maggie probably wasn't the best person to talk to this about.

The blonde in question was noticeably distracted but was dealing with it in a completely different way. He had been terrorising the other students with his eyes for the past weeks. He was back to being his hostile self, but not with Lily. Every time they found themselves alone together, he would turn his gaze of liquid steel on her. They were full of suppressed emotion; bitterness, exasperation, disappointment and yearning. He had a way about making her feel as if she was being the bad guy in all of this.

Lily made an involuntary shudder, "I'm ok, just stress and this thing with Delia." She lied.

Maggie saw through the lie immediately. "Right." She scoffed sarcastically. She draped her arm around Lily's shoulders. "I'm sorry things didn't work out between you and my brother." She sighed regretfully.

Lily was momentarily stunned by Maggie's assumption. "Oh, that's not a problem. It was a completely mutual decision not to take our relationship further." She assured her.

"Really?" Maggie asked, unable to disguise her surprise.

Lily chuckled for the first time in weeks. "Yes really, there was no spark between us, not like the one between you and Al. You make a cute couple." She grinned, changing the subject. Maggie seemed oblivious to what Lily had just done and smiled.

"Thanks, I still can't believe it." Maggie began dreamily. "Sometimes I feel so guilty about being so happy. What with Del and Hugo being kept apart and with Jess sulking now that Louis has gone back to training with James. I never expected to feel this way about Albus of all people. I'm thrilled that you don't mind and I'm glad you are not upset about Duanne, I think I would have had to murder him if you were!" She finished with a laugh. "But Lily, seriously, you look ill. There is definitely something bothering you. Whether it's exam stress or a mixture of things. You can't just let it fester, you have to talk to someone about it."

Lily nodded in agreement. "I've just let everything get on top of me. I'm finding the prospect of doing out OWLs a lot more daunting that I expected. I think I've just got too much going on what with studying, quidditch and detentions. I got into a routine but I guess everything with Del, Hugo and Jess just stirred things up a bit." Putting it like that, it did seem a plausible reason for her recent brooding. Maggie seemed to accept Lily's excuse now.

To Lily's relief, the castle door flew open and Albus walked through them looking very suave indeed. Maggie stood up and wrapped her arms around her boyfriend's neck and kissed him chastely whilst in the presence of Lily. Albus hands settled on her waist and was reluctant to let go again.

Lily looked away from the scene. Unconsciously, her hand came up to her neck and a finger hooked around the chain of the necklace she still wore. She hadn't taken it off since the day of the ball. She pulled at the chain so that it was no longer hidden beneath her robes and fiddled with the lily pendant, which was now the Gryffindor colours of red and gold. In the depths of her mind, she considered that the gift had come from Malfoy. His family certainly had the wealth to purchase such a gift but the gesture told her nothing about his motives. He could have given it to her to lull her into a false sense of security. Making her believe that he truly cared about her and mess with her head, or his intentions could be pure.

Out of nowhere a vision flashed in her mind. She suddenly knew where to turn. Her cousin Victoire would know exactly what to do and if she didn't, the least she could do was give her a potion to heal her cuts and help her sleep. She leapt to her feet and swerved around the couple. "Have fun you two, I'm gonna go see Victoire!" she shouted to them as she slipped back into the castle.

Lily ran down a labyrinth of corridors, hoping the caretaker Mr Grimes didn't catch her, as she progressed towards her destination. The passageways were mostly empty as many of the students were in lessons. She therefore didn't expect to run into a couple of Slytherins she recognised. She almost collided with them but flung herself into the wall instead. They didn't even notice her as they passed the spot where she landed. "The great prat hit me!" One of them complained.

"Then maybe you shouldn't goad him like that when he's in one of his moods. You had to know where it was leading Goyle-" Thomas Warrington told Terrance Goyle. Lily quickly continued on her way to the Hospital Wing so she didn't hear the rest of the conversation.

She arrived at the Hospital Wing moments later and flung the doors open. On the other side of them stud a startled Duanne Zabini. "Hey there Lils, are you ok?" He asked with genuine concern. Lily started at him blankly, what was it with the Slytherins being about today? Didn't they have classes today? Duanne chuckled which made Lily realise that she'd voiced her question out loud.

She blushed. "Sorry, I'm fine really. Just a few cuts. I was a little careless when it came to tending to the newly sprouted fanged geraniums." She told him as her eyes darted around the room looking for her cousin. The room appeared to be mostly empty but there were curtains around some of the beds so she couldn't be sure. "Are you ok?" She asked, suddenly realising the he was in fact in the Hospital Wing.

He chuckled again. "I am. I was just leaving, I actually do have a class to get to. See you around and I hope your hands feel better soon" He said and winked at her as he left the room.

The door at the other side of the room creaked open. Victoire stood there with numerous vials of potions sticking out of the pocket of her apron. When she laid eyes on Lily, she hurried over to her youngest cousin. "Lily what's wrong?" She asked bringing her palms up to her forehead to check to see if she had a temperature.

Lily realised that she must really look a state for Victoire to react like that. "I have a few bites but that's not the main reason I'm here. Victoire I need your help, I'm sick!" She said forlornly and held out her hands for Victoire to examine. She allowed her cousin to direct her to a nearby hospital bed.

"What are you're symptoms?" She asked as she spread a thick paste over the puncture wounds.

Lily threw herself down onto the bed when Victoire was finished. "My head's all over the place lately. I'm thinking crazy stuff and feeling things I _so_ should not be feeling. Or maybe it's not so crazy, maybe its real. I don't even know my own mind anymore." Lily distinctly saw the corners of Victoire's lips twitch as she suppressed a smile and was confused by the action.

"Oh I see. I have a calming potion. It wont cure you but it might help for a bit." She rummaged through the potions in her apron and pulled out a circular vial full of a bright orange liquid. She handed it to Lily.

Lily sat up and popped the cork. The potion had a fruity scent to it. "Will it mute these feelings and clear my mind?" She asked knowing that she would only take the potion if it actually would help. She quickly thought over her words carefully and continued. "I have a decision to make and its been distracting me. I have my O.W.L.s coming up and I am really finding it difficult to study. I can't be distracted Vic. I just can't." She sighed.

"You can try it but I think I can do more to help." Victoire offered.

A broad smile formed on Lily's face. "I was really hoping you'd say that." She admitted as relief flooded through it. She drank the potion which tasted as fruity as it smelt. It was surprisingly pleasant as far as medicinal potions went. Lily self instantly calm as the potion had a sedative effect on her. Her nerves calmed in an instant. "Wow this stuff is incredible, can I have some more?" She asked in amazement.

Victoire chuckled now that Lily was looking a lot calmer and some colour had crept to her cheeks. "A higher dose wouldn't be of any use to you. Now eat some chocolate and we'll talk." She handed her a small bar of chocolate and Lily snapped a bit off before popping it into her mouth.

"Is this about a boy?" She asked, taking advantage of Lily's silence.

Lily swallowed the segment of chocolate and looked at her cousin through wide eyes. "How-?" She began and realised she didn't want to know how she knew that bit of information. "You could say that." She conceded.

"And you are wondering whether or not to date this boy?" Victoire continued.

"sort of"

"And there are some trust issues."

"You're good!" Lily said impressed and her brows furrowed as she regarded her cousin suspiciously. It was uncanny how right she seemed to be. "Do you know more about this than you are letting on?"

Victoire chuckled at her cousins distrust. "No, don't worry about that." Suddenly Lily realised that her trust issues weren't just limited to Malfoy. She even felt it towards her family members even though they were really close. Lily suspected it must root from when she was younger. She used to be really gullible and would always fall for the tricks her brothers and cousins played on her. She really needed to work on that but that could wait for another day.

Victoire continued talking "I just recognised the symptoms that's all." She magiced a chair to where she stood and sat down in it. "You see, before Teddy and I started dating we were best friends, more than that, we were like family. Your parents always brought him with them when they came to visit my parents. We knew each other so well and when we got older we had a scary decision to make.

"It was becoming clear that the feelings we had for the other had strayed beyond the boundary of friendship and family. We could either remain friends and try to hide our feelings which was a difficult thing to do. Or we could take a chance on our relationship. We both knew it could go one of two ways; it would either be really great or end with disastrous consequences: there would be no middle ground."

Lily stared on in amazement as she listened. She hadn't known that Victoire or Teddy had gone through that. They'd always seemed like the perfect couple with no insecurities about the other or where what they were doing was leading. She never knew that they had taken a risk on their relationship, it seemed so natural that they should be together.

"It took us a while to reach our decision but when it happened…" She paused for the first time and had a deliriously happy expression on her face as she reminisced of the years she and Teddy spent together. "Even if the ending had been different, I would never have regretted giving our love a chance. It was incredible Lily, it still is." She gushed as she absentmindedly caressed her baby bump.

"Now I'm not saying you are in love or that your situation is the same," She said, not wanting to sound presumptuous. "I'm not even going to ask you who this boy is. But if you don't give it a chance, you could miss out on something special."

Lily sat on the edge of the bed, he fingers entwined and resting on her lap. _It could go one of two ways; it would either be really great or end with disastrous consequences. _Lily could definitely relate to that. _Even if the ending had been different, I would never have regretted giving our love a chance. _She played the words over in her mind. Did she love Malfoy? Certainly not! She wasn't naïve enough to believe that. Would she regret not giving him a chance? Probably. _No matter what the outcome! _Did she have the courage to risk it, like Teddy and Victoire had? The answer suddenly hit her."Wow" was all she could say.

"Was that helpful?" Victoire asked hopefully.

Lily began to nod, she felt suddenly lighter now that she had an answer she knew she was completely confident with. "I think it was, yes! Thank you so much." She told her and slipped off the bed. Victoire started to stand up. Lily wrapped her arms around her cousin carefully. "I better head over to the Great Hall for tea, I think I finally have my appetite back."

She headed for the door, leaving Victoire rather pleased with herself. "Lily?" Victoire called as Lily opened the door.

Lily swirled on the spot looking back at her cousin. "What?"

"I'll be here for you no matter what. You know that right?"

Lily beamed at her, of course she knew Victoire would be there for her. It wasn't the Weasley way to turn their back on their family. Not for long anyway. "Ditto!" She replied as the thought fully registered in her mind. Her immediate family really didn't hold grudges against other family members for long. It wasn't in their nature. Her father even seemed to get along with the Malfoys and had been encouraging Lily not to be so hostile towards the Slytherin. If things went well between her and Malfoy and her brothers found out, they probably wouldn't hate her forever. The thoughts were premature but they were definitely something to keep in mind in the future. Maybe all he weeks of torment had been for nothing. She certainly hoped so.

The Gryffindors who sat near Lily at dinner time didn't know what had gone into her. For the past few weeks she'd hardly eaten a thing but now her appetite resembled one of her brothers or her cousin Hugo's. No matter what she ate, it didn't seem to fill her. It wasn't only the amount, but the speed at which she ate.

"Now I'm glad you are eating again, I really am! But how can you eat that much?" Rose asked horrified.

Lily looked up from her plate and found several sets of eyes on her. "What I'm hungry." She shrugged concomitantly. As her eyes passed over them, she caught sight of someone else watching her. She felt a sudden jolt in her abdomen which had nothing to do with the amount of food she shovelled down her throat. "Actually I'm not hungry anymore, I'm going to go make a start on my homework before my detention tonight." She announces as she lifted herself off her seat.

"Who are you and what have you done to my sister?" Albus asked with an incredulous look on his face, although he did seem relieved that her appearance had improved dramatically over the last hour. Maggie also looked in high spirits now that Lily was doing more eating and less brooding.

"Ha ha!" Lily scoffed, "I'll see you all in the common room tonight."

She didn't linger at the table any longer and she made her way to the door. She ignored all sets of eyes on her bar one pair. Lily's eyes met with a set of molten metal ones. When she caught his attention again, she jerked her head in a way which told him to follow at his discretion, and exited the Great Hall.

Unsurprisingly, the entrance hall was empty. Lily waited by the access to the corridor that led to the library and watched the door to the Great Hall, waiting for it to open. She didn't have to wait long before Malfoy walked out looking confused. She waited for him to see her before she set off down the corridor so they wouldn't be caught by anyone leaving the hall.

She heard his footsteps as he followed her and only stopped when she was satisfied that they were a fair distance away from anybody else in the castle. She took a deep breath and turned to him.

His face was blank when he approached her and he seemed hesitant to make assumptions about her behaviour. She gave him a radiant smile hoping to ease his mind. His step faltered but his expression remained neutral as he continued to watch her.

They stood there staring at each other for a few moments. Lily didn't know where to start. Should she start a conversation or just blurt it out? Maybe she should just kiss him, that would get the message across, wouldn't it?

"So?" He asked warily. Lily couldn't believe that he was still concerned that she would say no, even though she was now smiling at him.

He really did look beautiful, if a man could really be called beautiful. A few strands of his platinum blonde hair fell limply around his face whilst the rest was drawn back into a small ponytail. Acting on impulse, Lily brushed the rogue strands behind his ears but didn't lover her hands when she was done. Instead, she brushed her fingers against his cleanly shaven cheeks and looked him directly in the eye when she said a little breathlessly: "Yes, my answer is yes!"

He reached for her and was gentle when he first brushed his fingers against her nape. "Are you sure?" He asked, his voice thick with suppressed emotion. His metallic eyes smouldered with some fierce emotions which caused her breath to catch in her throat. Her heartbeat quickened and felt a rush of adrenaline. Her eyes focused on his lips and every fibre of her being wanted to feel the touch of his lips on hers. She didn't feel capable to speak so all she could do was nod.

His lips came crashing to hers in an instant and the fever kicked in. Every cell in her body tingled. She was a maelstrom of emotions as a result of the onslaught of sensations his lips evoked.

Lily didn't seem to have control of her own hands. They tugged on the collar of his robes, forcing their bodies closer. She felt the heat radiate from his body and mingle with her own. Soon she was gasping for air and had no comprehension of how much time had passed.

Sounds of people moving around the castle caused them to break apart. Malfoy forced himself away from her and leant against the wall of the other side of the walkway. Her lips were swollen and numb. Her heartbeat was more a throbbing sensation which beat to the same rhythm as her ragged breaths. Her knees were weak and threatening to buckle from under her.

His breathing sounded as ragged as Lily's and he looked clearly bedraggled as Lily examined him through the haze of her own vision. She wondered how she appeared after their kiss and quickly summoned enough logic to force herself to smooth down her clothes. She closed her eyes and tried to calm herself. She couldn't have anyone coming on them in the state she was in.

"I think it's time we head to the library." He suggested as he appeared to regain control of his body first. All Lily could do was nod and follow his example. Her legs felt a little wobbly as they walked to the library side by side, she really hoped he didn't notice.

The library was surprisingly empty that evening, considering exams would be starting after the Easter holiday and there were only a few weeks left of term. They sat in a corner of the library, not far from the restricted section.

It was stuffy in there now that the weather outside was growing warmer. They shrugged off their school robes revealing their school uniform and set to work. Lily could no longer risk wearing whatever she wanted under her robes now that she began to discard them more frequently. They sat together at the same table, and for the first time, they truly worked together.

He seemed relaxed, more so than she'd ever seen before and she wondered how he could be so cool. She was finding it very distracting working with him but in a good way. She found herself staring at him when he wasn't looking. He was humming along to a tune she didn't recognise. He didn't seem to register that he was doing so.

"What is that?" Lily asked, unable to suppress her curiosity.

He looked up from the book he was working on in a carefree manner. "Hmm?"

"That tune you are humming. What is it? I've never heard it before."

"Oh, it's a composition my parents play all the time at home." He paused as he seemed to registered what he'd just admitted. He shook his head slightly and went to return the book to its place on in the bookcase. Lily watched him all the while.

He turned to face her and he appeared so at peace still. At that moment she was in awe of the sight of him. A feeling she hadn't felt since her stay in Egypt over the summer. When he gazed at her, another emotion took over him. His silver eyes blazed with want, she could hardly believe that she was the cause of such intensity. It all seemed so unbelievable. But then again, seeing this side of Malfoy was alien to her. She liked it more than she cared to admit. "You shouldn't be looking at me like that here!"

Lily smirked, she'd been unaware that she was looking at him in any way in particular. "And what way is that?"

"Like I'm something to eat."

Lily burst out laughing and any tension she had experienced flooded out of her muscles. She rose out of her seat and sauntered over to him. He appeared to watch her advance with interest. She reached for his silver and green, Slytherin tie and ran her fingers down the length of it. "I'm a vegetarian, but I guess I can make an exception" She teased and tugged on the end of he tie. Suddenly his eyes were ablaze with emotion again and the atmosphere was instantly charged between them.

He leant forward catching her lips between his. Their kiss evoked the same sensations as the one earlier but at a greater intensity. Lily found her hands exploring his body and was only vaguely aware that she was pulling his jumper off him until their kiss broke as she pulled the thin woollen garment over his head. She threw it over a nearby chair as his lips came back to hers.

Malfoy made quick work of ridding her of her own cardigan which didn't require the separation of their lips. His hands tugged at her shirt, pulling it loose from the belt of her skirt. They then delved under the fabric and his warm palms rested against the small of her back. She gasped, unable to contain it. Her heart began to beat painfully in her chest and she found what they were doing incredibly exciting.

His searching hands moved lower, resting at the top of her thighs and urged her upwards, lifting her off the ground. She instinctively wrapped her legs around his hips and her hands around his neck. He carried her backwards pressing her against the bookcase. He was too rough in his actions and the bookcase began to waver. Several books fell from the shelves making a rumpus which echoed around the library.

Lily cursed as the ruckus forced her attention back into her present surrounding. Her eyes widened with alarm when she realised where she was. There was no way the shrewd librarian would have failed to hear the commotion of all those books falling. She unwrapped he legs from around his hips.

Malfoy also appeared to have come to his senses again and he lowered her so that her feet touched the floor. She found her legs to be unstable. She knelt down and quickly started to pick the books up off the floor. It was a perfect excuse to disguise her affliction. She heard some shuffling besides her and knew that Malfoy was gathering and returning the books to the shelves as well.

Not long after the crashing sound of the books falling to the floor, they heard footsteps rushing towards them. "What's going on here?" Madam Swats asked sharply and to the point.

Lily hugged the books close to her chest. She raised her head and peered through a matted fringe of flaming red hair. She met the stern disapproving gaze of the formidable librarian. "Sorry miss, I tripped over my bag and into the bookcase. Malfoy was just helping me put the books back in place." Lily was surprised at how the excuse rolled off her tongue so convincingly.

She huffed disdainfully. "See that you are not as clumsy in future!" She snapped at Lily as her eyes hovered over the dishevelled state of her uniform and flickered to the Slytherin. There was no suspicion in her eyes, only disapproval as she continued her rant. "Sort yourself out. You two look a mess, there's no need for such scruffiness." She scolded and paced back to her desk at the entrance of the library.

As soon as Madame Swats left the vicinity Lily started to giggle uncontrollably. She was feeling uncharacteristically light-hearted after coming so close to being caught on the first day she agreed to try and have a secret relationship with him. They really needed to be more careful in future.

She clasped her hands over her mouth to muffle the sounds. The last thing she wanted was for the librarian to come back and give her a drilling about keeping quiet. Malfoy moved in front of her, trapping her between his body and the bookcase. Lily was reminded of the last time he had done this during their first detention in the library together. The scene developing was so different to the one which occurred back then. For one, there was no hatred radiating from his gaze, there was too much lust in those icy depths for any other emotion.

Lily's chuckling ceased as she gazed at him. If you told her back then that this was where they'd end up, she would have hexed you for making such a bad joke.

Slowly he peeled her hands away from her face. He moistened his lips and kissed her. Not on the lips this time, but scattered feather-light kisses all over her face. Lily felt as if she was going to explode with joy. She was never going to get bored of kissing him. It was really going to be difficult to hide this from everyone. It was as if she'd swapped one set of distractions for another and wondered how her life was ever going to get back to normal now.

**For progress on my stories, please check my profile. Thanks for reading, I hoped you liked! I 3 you all!**

**Things will speed up from now on in the story. However I don't really have time to work on my stories at the moment since things are really hectic. My Grandma has just been diagnosed with cancer.**


	30. C30: Confessions & Crumbling Defences

**Sorry for not replying to each of my reviewers for the last chapter. I'll try and do better this time. Thank you for all your well wishes and your support. They mean a lot!**

**You'll discover quite a bit in this chapter, I hope enjoy reading it…**

**Chapter 30 - Confessions and Crumbling Defences**

Lily sat on her bed, the curtains drawn securely around the frame and an active silencing charm so not to disturb her sleeping roommates. A single candle hovering in front of her, acted as her only light source. She dipped her quill in the ink pot once more, and signed her name at the bottom of the letter she had written to her parents.

There was nothing significant about the letter, she wrote about her last week with deliberate vagueness and commented on how she was looking forward to seeing them over Easter.

Bringing the letter closer she blew the ink, helping it dry. Once convinced the ink wouldn't smudge, she inserted the letter into an envelope and added it to the pouch containing the rest of the letters she'd penned for family members she didn't see regularly. With a slight frown etching her otherwise cheerful face, she suppressed the regret she felt for not being able to admit to them the effect the young Malfoy male was having on her life.

And what an effect her was having on her!

She literally shone with joy nowadays. It was more intense when she was around him, but the effects lingered long after he was gone. Her infectious smile was almost constantly present and it seemed to lift the mood of the people around her. The atmosphere in the common room had never been this relaxed this close to Easter before. With exams only two months away, the Gryffindors, even Rose who would have been a fireball of stress about now, were miraculously tackling their heavy workloads with lifted spirits!

A smile blessing her face with the image of Scorpius on her mind, Lily snuffed out the candle and got out of bed. The dawn light shone through the dormitory windows as she hurried to don the outfit she'd laid out the night before: a simple yellow camisole top and shrug along with cropped denim jeans. The lily pendent, which she now concluded was a gift from Scorpius although she had yet to confront him about it, still hung around her neck.

She tried to be as quiet as possible as the other girls slept around her. However her darling cat had other ideas.

Knowing that she would be leaving the dormitory soon, Padfoot began meowing and attacking the carpet with his sharp claws. It was his way of protesting about being cooped up in the one room all night. Lily frantically tried to negotiate with the cat as quietly as she could, telling him that she'd let him outside in a minute. He wasn't having any of it, despite her efforts.

In her attempt to finish getting ready as quickly as possible, she stubbed her toe on the corner of the chest at the end of her bed. Cursing the fact that she wore flip flops, she hobbled about until the pain subsided.

The figure in the bed closest to her own, started to stir. "Ergh" Maggie groaned and rolled over as the sounds Lily made woke her from her sleep.

Lily grimaced and whispered, "Sorry. Go back to sleep."

Not obeying straight away, Maggie stretched and peeked at Lily through heavy lids. "What time is it?" She said through a massive yawn.

"It's before seven o'clock."

Maggie's surprise was evident immediately. "Lily! Why in Merlin's name are up at this unearthly hour. It's a Sunday." She complained in an appalled tone.

"I'm off to the Owlry. I have a few letters for Mooney to deliver. Also Padfoot is destroying the furniture again. I need to let him out."

As if to confirm Lily's worries, Padfoot hissed loudly and began attacking the door.

"Psycho cat" Maggie chuckled as she rolled over once more and drew her cover around her more tightly. "Mmm…sleep!"

Chuckling to herself Lily relied, "You do that, I'll see you later." She then gathering her things and opened the door as Padfoot dashed out.

Once out of the dormitory, Lily passed through the empty common room and climbed through the portrait hole. She wasn't surprised the castle hallways were deserted apart from the odd ghost and students' pet. Her own cat was speeding ahead of her and she knew he'd be waiting by the castle entrance when she reached it.

Whistling a merry tune now that there was no risk of her waking anyone, Lily made her way out of the castle, allowing Padfoot out, and headed up to the Owlry. Upon reaching her destination she was surprised that she wasn't alone. In the centre of the building, dressed in all in black, was another student trying to catch the attention of a large barn owl.

"Hey Duanne, I didn't expect to see anyone here this early in the morning!" Lily chirped as she joined him.

He looked up surprised and smiled. "Could say the same." He retorted with a smirk on his handsome face.

"I'm always up this early in the morning. I'm sort of a creature of habit."

Duanne nodded and then brought out a letter to attach to the owl that landed on the perch in front of him. Lily couldn't resist sneaking a peek of the name the letter was addressed to. Before she could stop herself, "Who's Ollie?" escaped her lips.

"How? Oh, err. Nobody, I mean a friend." He stammered.

"Sounds interesting, would I happen to know this Ollie person?" She asked while she strained to work out if she knew anyone by the name. The only person she could think of was Amelia's father Oliver Wood, but something told her that he was definitely not the Ollie in question.

Duanne had no reason to contact him unless he had ambitions of becoming a professional quidditch player. In that case, the former Puddlemere United player and present England coach would be an important contact. However, over the last few months where Lily had started to get to know him, he'd showed no interest in pursuing a career in quidditch.

Looking at Duanne for an answer, she saw him shake his head. "No. They go to a different school." He told her and seemed reluctant to say any more on the matter.

"Ok, keep your secrets." Lily teased friendlily.

He snorted an then held her gaze. "You're one to talk about secrets." He retorted brazenly as his owl took flight and she held his full attention. The knowing look he shot her, had her looking away from him and searched for Mooney, spotting him on one of the highest ledges. She hoped that if she simply ignored the last comment from Duanne, he'd simply forget the matter.

Instead, her actions seemed to amuse him. "Don't act all innocent. You know what I'm talking about. You are practically glowing and have been for weeks now. Are you really going to tell me that there is no cause?" He pressed.

"I have a have no idea what you are on about." She retorted coyly, knowing how lame she sounded.

Her sudden discovery that Duanne was actually more perceptive than she'd thought had rendered her brain temporarily useless for coming up with a quick response. Why couldn't he be like her other friends and assume her good mood was because Victoire and Teddy had asked her to be the godmother of their first child?

Unfortunately for Lily, his insights didn't stop there and she seriously began to regret teasing him earlier.

"Come to think about it. A certain best friend of mine is acting unusually chipper and there's only one person in the whole of Hogwarts who could make him act like that." He mused, the confidence in his assumptions, burning obviously in the depths of his beetle black eyes.

"What are you on about?" Lily huffed, knowing full well that her acting ignorant to his accusations wasn't going to work. Well at least there was a chance that he could wise up to her discomfort and therefore drop the subject. She could only hope.

She saw him smirk as she busied herself with tempting Mooney down from his perch with owl treats. Duanne seemed to get the hint as he went silent while she sent her mail on its way.

Once finished, Lily looked to him. His expression was thoughtful as if he was withholding some important information which he was deciding whether or not to share with her.

Interest peaked and knowing full well that her curiosity was going to turn around and bite her on the ass, Lily looked at him questioningly.

After a few moments of hesitation he took her arm and led her out of the Owlry. "I'll let you into a little secret." He began as they made their way down the hill. "Malfoy has liked you for years."

Lily blinked in surprise as her heart raced at the confession. Of all the things he could have said, she hadn't expected that. It made no sense and she doubted there was any truth to his words. It had only been a few months since they started being civil to each other and that was because the Headmaster had practically blackmailed them to begin with.

It was cruel of him to lie to her about that, she thought and her step faltered slightly.

Duanne steadied her and the action caused him to notice her expression. Seeing her scepticism he continued, looking her in the eye so that she could see the truth burning there. "I don't know how many years exactly, I just know that it has been a long time. He tries to keep it to himself though, I doubt anyone else has noticed. I only know because I'm his best friend, I spend more time with him than most. You are the only one who has such a profound effect on his mood. He probably doesn't even notice the effect you have on him."

Lily released the breath she'd unconsciously held and her head was spinning with the newly found knowledge. It seemed impossible but she had seen the truth in Duanne's eyes. He wasn't lying to her after all. But how could Scorpius have liked her that much for so long? They'd been fighting since the day they met and it had only grown worse as the years progressed. Up until recently he'd hated her, hadn't he?

Apparently not!

"He wanted to curse that Gryffindor bloke you dated last year at every opportunity, hell I even had to watch my back when we were…flirting." He added with a chuckle. "Don't tell him I told you. He'll kill me if he knew that I knew all along." Duanne pleaded and it was enough to steer her thoughts down a different track.

"What do you mean all along?" She asked confused. She'd gotten to know Duanne over the course of the year and he didn't seem the type of person who would get involved with someone he knew his best friend liked. Sure he was a Slytherin but he wasn't that sneaky. Or was he really that sneaky? She thought when another explanation came to mind. Was he really sneaky enough to flirt with her to get his friend to finally admit his feelings towards her?

"Why do I suddenly feel like you've been using me these past months." She grumbled.

Duanne burst out laughing. His amusement aggravated her but as much as she wanted to be angry at him, she was so damn pleased with the results of his deception, that her anger quickly fizzled out.

"And you weren't using me to get back at McLaggen?" He chuckled, reminding Lily of the reason she first dropped her hostility towards him. She stared at him through wide eyes. She hadn't given him enough credit, he had been wise to her advances since the start.

Looking back at September, Lily couldn't believe how petty she was. Trying to get back and Eoin because her pride had been hurt when his next girlfriend Lucy didn't live up to standard she herself set. She even felt sorry for her now, after discovering what a prat Eoin really was.

She acknowledged that although she may have been using Duanne at first, it hadn't taken long for her to genuinely start to like him. She told him so. "At first maybe but then I found out you were actually cool." Although if he was about to say that everything, even their friendship was an act, she'd quickly recant that belief.

"I'm glad you think so." He grinned and then he seemed to sense the directions her thoughts were now going. " Just so you know, I wasn't trying to lead you on or anything. I really do like you and at one point I did actually hope that Malfoy had gotten over you, that was when I thought that we could have been more than just friends. You know, before the ball. But now I'm glad he hadn't. It's good to see you both so happy."

Lily leaned in and gave him and appreciative hug. It was nice to have one person who knew what was going on between her and Scorpius. Especially someone who was on friendly terms with both of them and was actually pleased that they were together. _He_ wasn't likely to skin Scorpius alive because of it. "Look, you can't tell anyone about me and him." She started but he pressed a finger against her lips to silence her.

"Don't worry I wont. I know how important it is to keep some things quiet. Especially this. It would cause quite a stir if you and him went public. Not that I know how your family would react but I guess they wouldn't be happy and Lucius Malfoy would throw a fit. He's a scary bloke that one and I'd delay crossing him as long as possible if I were you. Oh and that's not to mention how much fun the Daily Profit would have spreading the news. I can picture the howlers now!" He chuckled, his eyes wondering off dreamily into the distance.

"Duanne! You are not helping." She complained, slapping her palm against his rock hard chest.

She didn't appreciate him adding Lucius Malfoy into the fray. She hadn't put any serious though into how Scorpius' family would react. She had been too concerned with what her own clan would think. As she thought about Lucius Malfoy now, a shiver rushed down her spine. His reaction definitely wouldn't be pleasant. At least she had the impression that Astoria Malfoy had liked her and his father had seemed indifferent when he had caught his son almost kissing her under the mistletoe.

Lily was drawn out of her wool gathering by Duanne's next words. "I'm kidding Lily, well not the part about Lucius Malfoy. He can be really scary!" He added. He was genuinely concerned but he wasn't trying to worry her. "Anyways, I won't tell anyone and in return I'll expect you not to mention Ollie to anyone."

"Deal" Lily agreed and they shook hands, both feeling relieved that their secrets were going to remain so.

"See you around then." Lily said, pausing near the entrance to the castle. It was still early and Lily had no intention of going back inside just yet.

Duanne nodded in acknowledgement and walked several paces away from her before turning back. "Oh and thanks for all the potions help. I got my first Exceeds Expectations for my last assignment." He announced proudly.

Lily beamed at him. That's brill. Bye!" She called and waved to him as he ran back to the castle.

Instead of following, Lily headed down to the lake, where she would relax under the oak and perfect the designs for some evening gowns which needed to be sent to her cousin Lucy as soon as possible. She hadn't had time to work on them lately because of everything else which was going on.

)

Lily lay on the grass in the morning sun. It wasn't too strong that it would turn her skin as red as her hair but it was strong enough to give her a healthy glow. Her completed designs lay in her jotter. She could have waited to send her mail until after they were finish but that would risk someone accidentally coming across them. She would wait to send them tonight along with a bundle of fabric she had in her possession, she would also send the package direct to Madame Malkin's for Lucy to pick up. Just to be safe.

With nothing now to occupy her hands, Lily let her mind wonder. It wasn't long before her thoughts turned to her surreptitious 'boyfriend' and shifted to a romantic nature. After several minutes passed the lips that she imagined caressing hers were far too real to be part of her daydream.

She opened her eyes to just thin slits and peaked through her lashes. She wasn't too surprised when there was no one in sight, but she could still feel the tingling sensation of someone's face hovering above hers.

He didn't fool her for a second. The corners of her mouth twitched into a hint of a smile and she couldn't resist teasing him a little. "Mmm… Trent Edwards." She murmured dreamily.

The comment had the desired effect. She heard him move away from her. "Who's Trent Edwards?" He demanded with a hiss.

Lily's eye's flew open and she noticed the Chameleon Cluster he'd taken had worn off. She feigned surprise.

As she had expected Scorpius sat a meter away from her dressed in black. It was definitely a Slytherin thing not to wear colours when it wasn't necessary, she thought typically. She allowed herself a brief moment to admire his body before her gaze rose to his face.

It took all her efforts not to drool. At least she could be thankful that she was already lying on the floor. He didn't need to know that the way he was glaring at her, had her legs turning to jelly. She had wanted to tease him further but her willpower failed. He did look incredibly irresistible when he looked at her like that.

She giggled. "Lead singer of the Twisted Toadstools. Why? You jealous?"

He let out a low growl and moved swiftly to her side. He pulled her closer to him and she rested her cheek against his chest. "Not anymore." He told her and kissed the top of her head. "I was a little worried for a second that you were dating someone else on the side."

Lily laughed. As if she could think about anyone else when he was around. She saw him frown and realised that he had been genuinely worried. She snuggled closer to him and sighed. "I have a hard enough time trying to hide you from my family. Do you really believe that I could get away with hiding anyone else from them? They only haven't put you and me together because we are supposed to hate each other. My brothers would seriously freak out if they found out I was dating anyone."

She trusted Victoire not to mention their conversation in the Hospital Wing with anyone. "They didn't mind so much last year. Apparently I was too young to get up to anything 'serious'."

He froze for a split second and Lily remembered how Duanne had told her that Scorpius wasn't too fond of McLaggen. He'd probably been clued into what kind of person he was way before she had. Lily adjusted her position so that it was easier to see his face. He was suddenly smirking.

"Were you?" He asked in an indifferent tone but it was obvious that he wanted to know the answer more than he was letting on.

She finally frowning. Lily couldn't help but feel insulted that he had to ask. She tried to pull away from him to reinforce her irritation if there was any doubt in his mind. Scorpius held on to her and she was unable to move and so gave up her struggling.

She knew the conversation would come up at some point but she really didn't want to know about his past history. It would only depress her. He was a gorgeous eighteen year old male after all with hormones galore. Many of his female housemate didn't even hiding their interest in him. No she was not going to ask him about them, it was much safer just to answer his question and leave it at that. "Of course, what kind of girl do you think I am?"

Still restraining her, he freed one of his hands and used it to nudge her chin up. Lily's eyes rose to meet his. "Exactly the kind of girl you are, one to be respected and cherished."

The blush was automatic. "Nice save," She grinned as her giddy mood returned. She sensed that he was waiting for her to ask the question but she had something else she wanted him to answer. "So my brothers… are you at all wary about them finding out?" She asked, wondering if he held the same concerns as her.

His silvery eyes were full of confidence when he gazed back at her. "I can take care of Albus and Teddy likes me." He frowned and then added "James could cause a problem and then there are all of your uncles and cousins…" His voice fading. "I'm a dead man walking aren't I?" His tone may have sounded concerned but it didn't show on his face.

Lily thought about that for a moment. "No, because they are not going to find out."

He went quiet. Lily was afraid to talk about the subject further. Instead she allowed his silence and was comfortable lying on the grass in his embrace.

Her mind began to wonder. Duanne's words troubled her. '_Malfoy has liked you for years'_ if that was true, he must have had some reason to like her despite their altercations but she couldn't see it. "Why do you like me Malfoy?" She asked quietly.

Scorpius sat up quickly with a puzzled expression on his face. The movement startled her but she recovered quickly. Lily rolled onto her back and propped herself up with her elbows so that she could watch him. "Where's this come from?" He frowned.

Lily thought carefully about her next words. She couldn't betray Duanne by telling him about their conversation. "I was just thinking that's all. I mean…" She hesitated and sat up straight, brushing a lock of crimson hair from her face. "I've never really been nice to you so I was wondering how you came to like me. Is it because of the way I look?"

He smiled his stunning warming smile which was now so familiar to her. His eyes roamed her face, heating her with their intensity. Just as Lily almost forgot how to breath, he reached out and cupped her cheek with his palm. His thumb tickled her lower lip as he traced the shape of it. "You are beautiful and I am flesh and blood." he hesitated long enough for the disappointment to kick in.

Of course he'd only liked her for her looks. She thought bitterly. She'd given him no cause for him to like her otherwise.

He seemed to understand her train of thought and his smile vanished as he continued. "But no, that's not the only reason."

Hope and bafflement simmered under her surface. She tried to keep her expression blank and shrugged, "Then why? Because it's a mystery to me."

Lily felt the warmth of his palm leave her cheek. He slipped it into her hair and told her earnestly. "You leave an impression wherever you go. When you're happy you lift the spirits of the people around you. That's a very special gift. I've also seen the way you act around the people you care about. And Merlin help anyone who threatens any of them. You're spirited and you have quite a fiery temper. You're also intelligent and quick when it comes to defending them. Now that I've experienced. Hell, the scars have only just faded." He ended with a chuckle.

He'd mentioned what she considered her best qualities but also her worst. She hated how quick she was to loose her temper but he had her believing that it was actually one of her best. Like how unpredictable her mood could be just made her more interesting. His words astounded her.

Lily's eyes roamed the pale skin of his face. It was true, the circular scars left from the spells she and her friends had cursed him with had faded. She frowned remembering why she had cursed him in the first place. "Why did you keep having a go at Jess then, are you really that prejudiced? because my grandmother was muggle born."

He looked thoughtful again. "I actually have nothing against muggles, I don't know any so I have no reason to have anything against them. My comments and behaviour towards the Fox girl is more of a habit than anything else. Something I did to fit in. Nowadays I tend to say things without thinking, it's something I have to work on."

As he said the words, the muscles in his shoulders appeared to relax as if a heavy burden had been released off his shoulders. Before that moment, Lily hadn't noticed the weight he carried. She couldn't deny it now, he did seem lighter. His words sort of made sense. He'd have to say those kind of things in order to fit in with the Slytherin's, especially the former Slytherin's she remembered from previous years. She also knew from experience that if you behave in a certain way long enough it becomes a habit. She'd certainly found it difficult to break the habit of being argumentative with him.

"I can relate to that I guess." She shrugged and since he was being so accommodating she broached another subject that had been troubling her. "Tell me why do my brothers hate you?"

"What's with the twenty questions? It sounds like an interrogation." He chuckled and Lily found herself smiling sheepishly at him.

"Sorry. I was just thinking about the first time we met. There was something in my brother's eyes that made me think that his dislike for you was not due was not due to the fact that you were going to hex me."

His expression faltered for a moment and it looked as if she had brought up a subject he had spent a long time trying to forget. Before she could fully register it, his smile was back. "Give me a kiss and then I'll tell you."

Lily rolled her eyes and leant forward for his kiss. Where they sat, the would not be visible to anyone looking out of the castle windows so she didn't fear exposure.

Like with all of his kisses, her insides felt as if they had liquefied and her mind almost went blank. It would have done if not for the fact that she really wanted to know the answer.

When he pulled away from her, his eyes were dilated and she knew hers would be the same. "So what were you saying?" He asked innocently.

Lily rolled her eyes at how obvious he was being. "You know perfectly well what we were talking about. That kiss didn't completely scramble my brains." She had to admire his tactics though and would have to be wary of him doing it again. A kiss like that was definitely a way to wear down all of her defences.

"Damn, I really hoped that would happen." He sighed and looked genuinely annoyed that his method failed.

"Well it didn't so spill." She said smugly.

He threw up his arms in exasperation. "Fine, you win. We used to be friends, your brother and I. Best friends!"

Lily felt suddenly numb as she tried to process that piece of information. She'd been expecting something like…well certainly not anything which involved friendship. It didn't make sense to her that her brother had once been friends with him, never mind best friends. "You and James?" She asked in disbelief.

"No. Albus and I" He amended.

This just confused her even more. Her jaw dropped with a pop. She shut it and the process reoccurred several times before she was able to get some words out. "Really? How? I mean…I was not expecting that. How come he never said?"

Scorpius scooted to her side and wrapped his arm around her. Maybe he noticed she was feeling unstable or maybe he just needed the contact as he continued. "I don't know. It does seem a little farfetched though doesn't it? Son of the famous Harry Potter- the chosen one, defeater of the Dark Lord, best friends with the son of a former Death Eater. Why would a Potter ever like a Malfoy?"

Lily gasped. "I didn't mean-" She paused as she felt his body vibrate with silent laughter. "You're teasing me aren't you?"

"Just a little. But I wasn't just friends with Al. I was friendly with all your brothers and cousins whom were at Hogwarts in my first year. Though I was closer to your brother, Rose, Lucy and Louis."

"Then how did they come to hate you? What happened?" She asked now that she'd absorbed the fact that he had started off being a friend of her family. Things between them would have been entirely different if he had remained friends with her family. She wouldn't have the worries she had now.

He held her tighter and her head dropped to his shoulder. "You know the tension between the Gryffindor and Slytherin houses. Imagine being a first year Slytherin who's father was a failed Death Eater among a house who supported and still largely supports the ideals the Dark Lord advertised. Then add to that a friendship with the Potters and Weasleys who many of the older students considered blood traitors. A lot of pureblood families are insistent in passing down their ideals. That I was openly going against the teachings, made me an easy target."

Lily strained to picture the situation. It wasn't pleasant. "I can imagine." She said firmly.

"I doubt it." He continued, pain seeping into his tone which made Lily wince. She didn't like to hear it and she almost regretted bringing the subject up. Almost.

"They made my life hell. A day didn't go by where they didn't find a way to torture me in some way. I could hide from them during the day, they wouldn't confront me when I was surrounded by your family. I'm not sure if you know this, but your Victoire can be quite intimidating when she has to be. Many of my housemates were reluctant to cause any bother with your family in case the news got back to her. However each evening I had to return to my common room, that's when they got to me. They knew I had too much pride to mention my problems to anyone so I stupidly put up with it."

A tear slid down her cheek. She ignored it and reached out, searching for the hand which was settled on her waist. She locked her fingers with his and he seemed to welcome the gesture.

"It got to the point where I couldn't take it anymore. I had to make a choice: my house or your family. You can guess who I chose."

Yes, she could guess who he chose and she knew the consequences of that. If her brothers, especially James had welcomed him into the family they could have considered him a brother of sorts. When Scorpius had turned his back on them and chose his house, they would have felt betrayed. James wouldn't be able to forgive him. Not when Scorpius had hurt Albus in the process. James, like many of her relatives, was very protective of his family.

She couldn't dwell on that though, her thoughts were focused on the fact that Scorpius had felt that he had no one to turn to. "What about Duanne, didn't he-?" She began quietly but her voice faded. Scorpius picked up where she left off.

"Help? No. We weren't exactly friends until I began to play along with the opinions held by the Slytherins. I had no friends or allies in my own house. When in the dungeons, I had no one. Duanne didn't begin to question the rules until Magdalana was sorted in to Gryffindor. Rules that mean that family can no longer associate with each other are pretty ridiculous. It was only this year that we had enough leverage to influence our housemates so that they would accept a Gryffindor. It's quite cool how they are now intimidated by me and they'll basically do whatever I ask of them."

Lily couldn't even begin to imagine what it was like to be in the Slytherin house. Gryffindors were much more relaxed. They weren't happy about her being friends with Duanne but they wouldn't torture her for it.

Something suddenly clicked into place as she processed all which he'd said. "That's why they didn't attack me that day I came over to the Slytherin table to talk to Duanne last Halloween. Jess said that the only thing that stopped the Slytherins from sending a curse at me was because of your expression. Apparently you were quite terrifying."

He laughed and it spent spasms of joy rippling through her body. She was glad that he was able to laugh after what he'd been telling her.

"Thanks! And I invited you to my party so that they could see that Gryffindors could be cool. You caused quite a stir you know, as I've mentioned before… you make quite an impression on the people around you. Needless to say, you won them over. Now Margarita can spend time with Magdalana without fear of being caught and confronted by any of the Slytherins." The way he looked at her then made her feel that that would be reason enough for him to like her despite them being on good terms now.

Lily had the feeling that Duanne and Margarita had filled most of the void he'd been left with after he fell out with her family. She suspected Maggie was also close to him and she regretted making it impossible for her best friend to admit that to her.

"You've had to deal with so much. It never once crossed my mind that there were reasons behind your behaviour. I just thought you were being a jerk because you could be. I've been such a bitch haven't I?"

"I've not exactly been innocent myself." He reminded her.

However Lily couldn't stop the guilt that was swelling inside her. "How can you not hate me?"

He kissed her jaw, tracing the shape to her neck. "Don't get me wrong." He began and kissed her again and again. "I tried…I really did…Things would have been easier…if I managed…to hate you."

The guilt was finally gone. "Hey!" She exclaimed and pulled away from him.

He smiled wryly "What, I'm just being honest." He confessed.

Lily thought for a moment. He was being honest, but if he had tried to hate her and failed then "Why did you try and drown me in the Black Lake last year?"

Disappointment flashed in his stormy grey eyes. "Do you really think I'd still be at Hogwarts if I actually tried to drown you. They would have expelled me."

Lily felt the goldfish expression grace her features again. She was going to have another belief she held about him flattened to smithereens, she just knew it. "You didn't? then what on earth were you doing?" She asked and thought about it. The only other explanation was... "You tried to save me didn't you?" And then another idea hit her, "My father knows about this doesn't he? That's why- _he'd kept telling me that you weren't as bad as I thought._" She couldn't finish that sentence. Everything she thought she had known about him was false. Every reason she used to justify her behaviour towards him no longer existed.

"Having fun musing to yourself or would you like an answer?" He asked, obviously misreading her silence. Lily allowed herself to be drawn out of her wool gathering. "I took veriteserum. Your Dad knows what happened that day."

"He knows how you feel about me." It wasn't really a question, she already knew it to be true.

"Yes. So does my father." He admitted and Lily felt the panic churning.

Until that moment she'd still been cautious about his motives on some level. Now all her meagre defences had crumbled to dust leaving her vulnerable. She needed them back. "Oh… this is real isn't it and has been since the start. You're not trying to mess with me at all."

He gazed at her tenderly. "My feelings for you are real."

She couldn't find the words to describe what she was feeling. She needed time to work it all out. "The castle is starting to stir, we better go to brunch." She said quickly and rushed to her feet.

"Lily?" He asked warily, his expression equally open and vulnerable.

Touched by the unguarded look in his eyes, she needed to let him know how she felt about him but couldn't find words for. She captured his face between her palms and gently brushed her lips against his. She filled the kiss with all the emotions swimming within her. It left her breathless. Pulling back, she saw the slightly dazed expression and placed another gentle kiss on his lips. "I'll see you in the library later." She gasped before kissing him again. She gathered her things and hurried towards the castle. Her mind was in overdrive.

)

Entering the castle, Lily ran into two girls who were on her mind. Maggie and her sister stood at the bottom of the grand staircase chatting away. She skipped over to them and flung her arms around Maggie for a brief amount of time. "Good Morning you two!" She sang cheerfully.

The twins flashed her identical grins. They stood there talking for a while and Lily watched the other students filtering into the Great Hall in small groups. Lily tried to act casual when Scorpius entered the castle and smiled at them. Lily knew that the others would just assume he was smiling at the twins but it didn't stop her heart from racing. He caught her gaze briefly and made a beeline for the Great Hall.

"Have you seen Jess this morning?" Lily asked when she didn't see her coming down the stairs.

"She's already in the Great hall with Delia. I tried to catch them but Professor Longbottom was watching. He's really doing my head in now, he better ease off after Easter. Hopefully Hannah will be able to drum some sense into him. Anyway, we didn't follow them in. We were actually waiting for you." Maggie confessed and then seemed to examine Lily. The latter was suddenly paranoid about her appearance. "What's wrong with you. You look shaken up?"

_Oh everything is fine_, she thought and blurted out "Oh, my entire belief systems has just crumbled around me that's all." Only to realise too late that she'd voiced the wrong response. Unfortunately it was too late to retract it now. Her conversation with Scorpius had her guard slipping.

Maggie immediately pulled her to one side. "Do you want to talk about it?" She asked softly.

Lily shook her head and glanced back to where Margarita stood trying to give them space. "Not yet, but no doubt I will at some point. Do you fancy joining us on the Gryffindor table for breakfast Margarita?" She asked needing a distraction.

"I'd love to." Margarita replied eagerly and she joined them again. The twins exchanged a small glance at Lily's offer as if they had been waiting a while for her to make it. Lily rolled her eyes. If Maggie had been wanting this for a while, all she needed to do was ask. The things Maggie kept quiet to avoid conflict with Lily! It was ridiculous, Maggie was always very straight with everyone else.

Margarita and Lily both linked arms with Maggie and the three of them waltzed into the Hall for breakfast. They headed for their usual spot surrounded by Lily's family and their friends. Maggie went to sit next to Albus who greeted her with a quick kiss while Lily and Margarita sat opposite them. A few of the Gryffindors seemed surprised by the Slytherin's presence and all but one never gave them a second glance. Eoin McLaggen was the only one who seemed offended by the company. He stood up and stomped over to the Hufflepuff table joining his girlfriend Lucy. _His_ company wasn't missed.

Lily tried to stay engrossed with the conversation going on around her but her attention lapsed often and she found herself watching Scorpius where he sat with Duanne, Warrington and Goyle.

Part way through their meal Margarita looked puzzled when she spoke to Lily. "Why is your brother watching you like that? It's quite disturbing." Lily looked up, she hadn't noticed him watching her since she was otherwise preoccupied. Now that he had her attention, see could see that his emerald green eyes were studying her behaviour.

Lily tensed hiding her fear and turned to Margarita. "He's nosey. He likes to know my business even when it has nothing to do with him."

"I do not!" He exclaimed, falling into her trap. It was now blatantly obvious what he was doing.

"Maggie, can't you keep him entertained so that he doesn't but into conversations where he isn't welcome or invited." Lily asked in a defensive tone which had her brother frowning at her. Lily cringed inwardly, she really wasn't helping her situation.

Luckily Maggie was up to the challenge. She nodded and was soon successful in drawing his attention towards her and away from Lily. Lily had never been more grateful that he brother was besotted with her best friend than now.

Margarita was grinning broadly. "I know how it feels to have an overprotective brother. Duanne and Scor act pretty much the same way." She chuckled now that no one else was paying them attention.

"You're close with Malfoy?" Lily asked wanting to confirm her opinion she'd formed whilst outside but without sounding too interested.

Margarita replied without hesitation. "He's like family. You may have heard from Magdalana that our parents aren't exactly affectionate. The Malfoy's practically adopted us all when Duanne became friends with Scor. They've been great. We spend most of the school holidays with them."

A quick glance around her told Lily that no one was listening in to their conversation. "Really? Even Maggie?" She was a little surprised. Maggie had never mentioned that she often visited the Malfoy household, not that Lily could blame her.

Margarita suddenly looked alarmed, the rivalry between Lily and Scorpius's groups of friends was no secret. "I've said something I shouldn't have, haven't I?"

Lily immediately tried to calm her and spoke in a quiet soothing tone. "Don't worry about it. I understand that I've given her loads of reasons for her not to tell me. You haven't gotten her in trouble or anything although I think it wise to keep that bit of information from my brother." She advised. That particular piece of information would best come from Maggie herself.

Margarita's midnight black eyes shifted to her sister and Albus. "Ok. Thanks." She nodded intelligently and something about her body language made Lily suspect that Margarita knew all about what went on between Scorpius and Albus. Lily wisely decided not to bring up the topic.

"May I ask you something?" She asked quietly.

"Sure!" Margarita shrugged. Lily was surprised about how open Margarita was being. They'd never really had a proper conversation before, at least not about anything personal.

"I may have been imagining things but your behaviour towards me changes quite often. Sometimes you are ok with me and other times you can be a little…off." She finished without a better way of putting it.

Margarita hung her magnificent head in shame and stared at her half eaten meal. "You didn't imagine it. I'm quite embarrassed to admit that I'm a little jealous of you. Everyone seems to love you and the relationship you have with my sister, well it's the sort of relationship I should have with her but its difficult since I hardly ever get to see her."

Lily was startled by her honesty. Today really was the day of confessions. "I'm sorry. I don't know what I would do if I was separated from my family like that. You're welcome to hang around with us whenever you want." She offered without hesitation. She was sure that neither Jess, Delia or Maggie would object.

Margarita's radiant face lit up with a mixture of surprised joy and Lily had a good feeling about including her. "I'd like that. Thanks Lily."

"No problem. Now lets officially introduce you to some of my friends." Lily started loudly and those sitting near her looked up finally showing their interest. "This is Amelia Wood, my cousin Rose Weasley, her brother Hugo and his friends Brian Finnegan and Chester Thomas." Lily told her motioning to each in turn. Margarita smiled nervously at each of them and this encouraged the Gryffindors to return her smile and make her feel at ease. "Of course you know Magdalana and Albus. And I'll introduce you to Jess and Delia later. We may have to wait until the train ride home for you to properly meet Delia. Her father wont let her see us at the moment. Don't worry, Uncle Nev is just overreacting. It'll be sorted out soon" Lily assured her as Margarita looked nervous again.

As the meal progressed, Lily was pleased that Margarita got one well with the other Gryffindors. She even appeared to get on with Hugo, Chester and Brian, a lot better than Maggie did half the time. She was less intimidating than her twin despite being the one sorted into Slytherin.

)

As the term came to an end, Margarita was still in good terms with the Gryffindors. Lily was please to have the twins with her since it was quiet without Jess and Delia around. Her relationship with Scorpius was still going strong and still secret. Lily had to be careful though because Albus wasn't the only one of her family she found watching her strangely. Rose and Teddy had also joined his ranks. Victoire tried to distract Teddy as much as she could and although she knew part of what was going on with Lily, she showed no interest in discovering who the guy in her life was. Lily was grateful.

There were also those outside the family who's eyes she found watching her frequently. Eoin McLaggen was being a pain when he wasn't with his girlfriend, and the librarian Madame Swats watched them often during detention. She was probably worried about an impending explosion from the two of them since the atmosphere had been so calm lately. However the librarian's behaviour really irritated Lily more than anyone else's. It wasn't often that Lily managed to get Scorpius alone, what with them both having Quidditch training outside classes and Lily's family being around her half the time. The librarian was encroaching on the only time the couple were truly safe to be seen together.

Lily found herself dreading the Easter Holidays in a way since she would be seeing Scorpius even less then. Despite this, Lily's mood was still psitive and the smile remained plastered on her face.

The train journey came around too soon for her liking. Despite the quick occurrence, Lily rather enjoyed the train ride home. In the morning, while her friends were on prefect duty, Lily played several games of exploding snap with Scorpius, Duanne and Posie. The latter was openly hostile towards her but she didn't put a damper on Lily's mood. She was just happy to be spending time with Scorpius and Duanne.

After Lunch Jess, Delia and the twins came back and Lily went to sit with them. Hugo, Rose and Albus also joined them in the second compartment. It was amazing to have Jess and Delia back with them since Professor Longbottom wasn't around to keep them separate. Both girls got on well with Margarita and they were more than happy to have her around. Lily thought that maybe Delia would agree to anything. She was on cloud nine just being with Hugo again.

Hours later, Lily said goodbye to her friends and met her parents at King's Cross Station. They walked back to Grimauld's Place as a family.

**Well that's that chapter complete. I'm sorry it was a bit naff at the end. I just really wanted to get this up because you guys have been waiting so long for an update.**


	31. C31: A Day for Surprises

**Thank you for reading (and reviewing). Sorry about the delay, I was in Croatia, it's such a lovely country. I hope you enjoy…**

Chapter 31 - A Day for Surprises

Lily sat at the kitchen table with her History of Magic notes spread out over it. Even without the monotonous Professor Binns trying to put her to sleep, the subject wasn't any more interesting.

It definitely didn't take her mind off things such as- she hadn't seen Scorpius for a week! Of course they sent letters to each other every day but it wasn't the same.

She'd had time recently to brood long and hard over their relationship and how she was going to keep it secret. With Al becoming increasingly suspicious about her secretive behaviour, she was going to need help to keep her secrets safe. She therefore concluded that there were a couple of things she had to set in motion. Unfortunately her work couldn't distract her from the anxiety what she had to do caused - She was going to tell Maggie (and probably Margarita since the news shouldn't bother her) all about her relationship with Scorpius.

"More Lemonade Master Albus? Miss Lily?" Kreature's crackling tone came as a welcome interruption. His bulbous eyes were alight with joy with having them home for the holidays. He really was spoiling them rotten.

"I'd love some Kreature and I'm certain Al would like some as well." Lily replied sweetly and handed the House Elf two glasses to be refilled. Her brother sat across from her but was so absorbed in his Defence Against The Dark Arts notes that he had failed to hear Kreature's arrival.

Lily picked up a roll of parchment and whacked him over the head with it.

"Stop that Lily I'm trying to study!" He exclaimed, finally looking up from his notes. He would have probably continued but his voice caught in his throat when he saw Lily's frown. She jerked her head to the side and he followed the direction with his eyes. He flushed with embarrassment when he spotted Kreature grinning at him after topping up his glass.

Albus said his thanks and when the House Elf asked if there was anything else they wanted, the two politely said no. It was then that Ginny Potter entered the room carrying a basket of dirty washing.

"Give to Kreature, Mistress. Kreature will deal with that." The House Elf squawked and bounded over to take the basket from her. She tried to complain and assure him that she was ok doing the laundry but Kreature wasn't having any of it. He had been doing the family's housework for years and he wasn't about to let Ginny Potter worry herself with it now that she was working from home.

Lily held back a chuckle. She liked how independent and stubborn Kreature was, there weren't many House Elves like him. It often felt like he was the head of the family since the Potters tended to do whatever he asked.

Lily's mother watched Kreature leave the kitchen and shook her head slightly in exasperation before turning to her two youngest children. "How's the revision going you two?" She asked and approached the table.

"Fine Mum" Albus replied with a weak smile.

Lily gave her brother a sickening glower. He actually looked to be enjoying his revision. Lily couldn't wait until she could elect to do subjects rather than have them forced on her. History of Magic would be the first to go.

"Speak for yourself Al. My head feels as if I've smashed it against a brick wall." She wailed and shook her head tragically.

Albus wore a puzzled expression. "Why on earth would you want to do that?" He gaped at her.

Lily sighed and threw a scrunched up piece of parchment at him for aggravating her. It hit him in the middle of his forehead and his only reaction was to raise one of his charcoal brows at her childish behaviour. "I didn't say that I wanted to, only that that is how it _feels_."

Their mother laughed. "Maybe you should have a day off and relax?" She suggested and they both gawked at her in surprise.

Ginny Potter chuckled at the expressions they were both wearing. "I was young once. I remember studying for my exams and how stressful it was." She explained, still chuckling.

After a few moments her expression changed as she recollected her school days. Both Lily and Albus grimaced. They had both been told about the horrors their parents' and grandparents' generations had to go through during school. In comparison, they had nothing to complain about.

Their mother had been thinking about those times increasingly more often lately. They both knew why. "Have you heard from Dad this morning?" Lily asked quietly. Both Lily and Albus watched their mother and waited for a response.

Harry Potter had been called away on the second day of their Easter Holiday. He was currently somewhere in Australia but he didn't disclose where.

Their father tended to stay out of the political affaires of foreign magical communities. However the Australian Minister of Magic had personally asked for his aid. The very next day he had gone with a team of Aurors to see what they could do to help.

The magical community there was currently having problems with a group of Dark Wizards. They were persecuting muggle-borns and toying with muggles for fun. The situation was not on the scale of what had happened when Lord Voldemort or even Gellert Grindlewald had terrorised the wizarding communities, but it was still bad.

"He's doing ok. He's been training up the Australian Aurors since they haven't had to deal with anything like this before. Your Dad thinks that the worse is over since they have managed to capture many of the higher ranked members in the rebellion party. He thinks he'll be home within the next fortnight, the Australians Aurors will be able to handle thing from then. Unfortunately you'll probably be back at Hogwarts when he gets home." She ended sadly since it had been a while since the had got together as a family. James was busy training and the Westgate Winged Horses were currently in the semi finals in the Quidditch Charity Cup. Teddy was also busy renovating his home in Hogsmeade and preparing for the new arrival they expected in June.

Although their mother appeared mostly hopeful, they glimpsed a small part of her anxiety. In an instant there was a sound of wood scraping against stone as Lily and Albus hurried out of their seated and embraced their mother from both sides.

She patted them both appreciably and kissed their cheeks. Albus had to bend down since his latest growth spurt had sent him a couple of inches shy of six and a half feet. He was now taller than James, much to their elder brothers dismay.

"Lily? Lily?" Came the sudden sounding of Delia's voice, breaking the silence in the Potter's kitchen. Lily sent her mother and meaningful look.

"Go and have fun, I'm meeting Fleur and Victoire later to go shopping in preparation for the new baby. I'll get in touch if there is any news." Ginny told her and Lily went to retrieve her communication mirror.

When Lily peered into the frame she saw that all the segments had been activated. Her eye's flickered quickly from image to image and picked up on several details.

Jess sat at her desk in her bedroom. The walls were lilac walls and the room was full of white furnishings and muggle equipment. Her school notes stacked neatly around the room and there were post-it notes everywhere: Trust Jess to be as organised and Rose's side of the family when it came to revision.

Jess herself looked tired and stressed and in desperate need of a break. Her brown hair was pulled back in a tight ponytail and she wore a set of glasses Lily had never known she needed.

Maggie on the other hand was sat in a beautiful white room. There was music playing in the background, a piano concerto which Lily recognised as the tune Scorpius often hummed when he was relaxed. Lily guessed she was somewhere in the Malfoy manor.

Margarita could be seen in the background along with a group of people who were not recognisable as belonging to the Malfoy family- the all had dark hair for one. Lily tried not to frown, Scorpius hadn't mentioned in his letters that he had a houseful and she felt an unwelcome stab of jealousy.

She quickly turned to the last image.

Delia was something else. Apart from the huge smile that spanned from ear to ear, Delia looked a mess. Her hair was all tangled and she was still in her pyjamas. The part of her bedroom which was visible looked as if a tornado had passed through it. There were piles of clothes everywhere. Lily was about to ask what was going on when Delia spoke.

"How's the holiday going so far you three…four?" Delia amended cheerfully when Margarita came to sit next to Maggie. The cheerful tone in her voice only confused Lily more and she noticed that Jess and the twins were also puzzled by the contradiction Delia's appearance and tone of voice offered.

"Not much can happen in a week Del!" Maggie replied before the others had chance to.

Delia's smile grew impossibly large. "Bet you it can." She began smugly. "Mum managed to talk some sense into my Dad. He's finally allowing me to see Hugo again!" She appeared to be bouncing for joy.

Lily exclaimed over the news along with her friends which ended up being unintelligible. This had them all giggling as they were talking over each other.

Delia continued to beam at them, "I just told him the news and Hugo's invited me out on a proper date tonight! It's at some muggle restaurant so I need something to wear. Fancy coming shopping you four? I'll need your opinions."

"Sure that sounds like fun. When and where?"

"How about you all floo over to the Leaky Cauldron when you are ready and then we can shop muggle style! There's a guy here who will exchange our money with muggle money and then Jess can take us to all the best places."

"What makes you think I know where to go Del?" Jess asked.

"You're muggle-born duh." Delia said shortly as if the answer was obvious.

Lily smiled at how wrong Delia's assumption was. Jess lived in the North West of England near Manchester, it was unlikely that she had ever been to an area of London other than Diagon Alley and Kings Cross Station. Jess and her family tended to stop over at the Leaky Cauldron whenever they came to London.

It was lucky that there was a wizarding family nearby who were happy to let Jess used their fireplace to floo places or even take her places using a side-long apparition. Either that or one of Delia's or Lily's parents would apperate to her and pick her up.

Lily was the first to confirm that she'd be there. "That sounds like a plan. I'll floo over in a minute. My mum was just saying that I should take a break today."

"Your mum is the coolest." Delia sighed, "It'll take me a while to get ready and clear this mess up but I'll tell Mum that you'll be coming and she'll have a pumpkin juice waiting for you."

Jess took off her glasses and put them down on her desk. "I may be a while, I'll have to tell my parents we're meeting for a study session. A shopping trip wont go down well since they know our exams are coming up. I'll have to bring some books and stuff with me."

"That's fine, you can just leave them in my room or behind the bar. My parents wont mind. What about you Mags? Marge? Will your parents let you come?"

The twins exchanged a quick glance with each other before asking. "It should be fine. We'll be over in a minute or two and we'll wait with Lily for you and Jess to get ready." Maggie replied for the two of them.

"Cool see you all soon." Delia sang an the mirror went blank.

Lily was pleased but also nervous at the fact she'd have the twins to herself for a time. It would be the perfect opportunity to tell them about her and Scorpius. She'd toyed with the idea with telling Jess and Delia but they definitely wouldn't be as understanding as the twins since they didn't know his true character. It was also unlikely that they would be able to keep their opinions within the group, Lily's family could pick up on their comments and Lily's relationship with Scorpius would be over before it could really start. She did feel guilty that she wasn't going to tell them though.

Lily looked away from the mirror and at her family. Albus was back revising and Ginny was putting on her cloak as she was almost ready to join Fleur and Victoire. Lily quickly explained that she was going shopping in muggle London and went to get her yellow jacket since she was already dressed in a blue and white floral sundress and yellow sandals. Her accessories were also yellow and her magical bag was stuffed inside a larger yellow handbag which matched her outfit perfectly.

A minute later she was throwing some floo powder into the fire and whirling towards the Leaky Cauldron.

)

Through a cloud of smoke, Lily saw the welcoming ambiance of the world famous inn materialise. It was reasonably early, ten o'clock, and the inn wasn't yet busy. Apart from a couple of regulars and the landlady Hannah Longbottom, the room was empty.

Hannah, an older version of Delia appearance-wise, stood by and empty table setting a pitcher of pumpkin juice and some glasses down on it. "Good Mourning Lily." Hannah chirped and it was obvious she was in high spirits just like her eldest daughter.

She made her way quickly towards the fireplace and Lily who returned her heart felt greeting. "It is a good day Aunt Hannah, How is everything with you?" She added unnecessarily.

"Just peachy my dear" She replied and magicked away the soot marks which covered Lily without having to be asked. "Delia will probably be a while so I've set some drinks out for you on the house."

"Thanks Aunt Hannah, where's Uncle Neville today?"

"He's taken Allie to the park. She does miss her papa when he's away teaching." She sighed wistfully.

Lily nodded. She had a feeling that the precocious toddler was monopolising Neville's time now that he was home. It must be difficult for the pair of them only being together during school holiday, but Hannah sure did have her hands full raising Allie and running the pub by herself.

Suddenly there was a whooshing noise and Margarita stepped out of the fireplace, shortly followed by Maggie. To give her credit, Hannah took their sudden appearance in her stride. It wasn't often that the twins were seen together in public and they were definitely an imposing sight.

Six foot, with smooth, dark, unblemished skin and fine aristocratic features, the duo looked as if they had been conjured straight out of a fashion magazine. Lily half toyed with the idea of asking them to model her clothing line.

Although they appeared identical in looks and they both wore their sleek black hair straight down their backs, Lily could tell them apart. For one, Margarita was slightly more toned than Maggie due to her passion for quidditch which was not shared with the Gryffindor twin. But the more obvious difference was their taste in clothing.

Maggie wore a short tight sundress which was white with large red tulips printed on it, along with a white shrug and red accessories. Margarita was dressed more modestly in dark denim jeans and a loose fitting emerald t-shirt.

They both thanked Hannah as she cleared the soot from them and the three teenagers went to sit at the table which was set for them while Hannah busied herself with her landlady duties.

Since Lily was strapped for time, she got straight to the point. "Now what I have to say to you, you can't repeat to anyone. Not to Jess or Delia, not even to Al Maggie. Do you understand?" Lily asked once they were seated in a quiet spot and they'd poured their drinks.

Intrigued, the twins swore that they wouldn't repeat what Lily was about to say to anyone. Encouraged, Lily took a deep breath and prepared to continue. She'd reasoned with herself that like their brother, the girls would be able to deal with the bombshell Lily was about to dump on them. It shouldn't bother Margarita and Maggie should feel some relief that she wouldn't have to keep her friendship with the Malfoy family secret from Lily anymore. Well at least that was what Lily hoped would happen.

"Duanne already knows about this but I didn't tell him he just figured it out." Lily said quietly looking at Maggie. She knew her best friend would feel hurt if Lily had actually confided in Duanne before her.

This made them even more interested in what she had to say.

"For a while now I've been feeling…well since the masquerade ball at school I've kinda been…what I mean is…hell I'm going to have to blurt it out. I've been dating Malfoy in secret since the Valentine's Day ball." Lily came out with after a long struggle to find the words to say. She kept her eyes closed as she half hid from their reaction and her confession was met with a pregnant pause.

After a delay, Lily braved a peek at the twins. Their expressions were flitting between various degrees of shock.

Margarita finally spoke, breaking the silence. "Well that certainly explains a lot about how Duanne and Scor have been behaving." Lily managed a weak smile at Margarita. She'd been right in her assumption that the news wouldn't really bother her. It was her sister who was still staring at Lily as if she had just grown an extra head and an arm or two for good measure.

"It also explains why you have the lily pendent I overheard Scor asking Astoria to make, and why he's been so secretive and seems to enjoy his detentions. I'm really happy for you both, it's kind of a Romeo and Juliette situation but you are both way too smart to end up killing yourselves. You could bring about a truce between the two families!"

Lily blinked at the flood on information. She now had confirmation that the necklace was from Scorpius. She also managed to marvel over the fact that Margarita knew the work of the muggle William Shakespeare. Maggie had never showed any interest in muggle literature. The only things she seemed to like about them was their fashion sense, other than that she was indifferent.

"Killing ourselves? I'm more worried about Lucuis Malfoy murdering us, or one of my brothers or uncles challenging Malfoy to a duel and going to far. I don't want anyone to get hurt or end up in Azkaban." Lily explained and her voice was quiet and shaky. She kept glancing around the room nervously to make sure no one was listening in.

At the sound of Lily's distress, Maggie finally snapped out of her state of shock although it was clear from her expression that the news was going to take some getting used to. "So you are not wanting your family to find out just yet."

It wasn't said as a question. It was only Maggie processing Lily's confession. Lily answered her anyway. "No, I don't want them to find out just yet. I don't want our relationship to be forced to stop before it has really had a chance to begin."

Maggie nodded and continued thoughtfully and Margarita listened. "Your behaviour has been a little suspect recently. It's had us all wondering about it. Al has been the worst and since everyone can tell he's suspicious about you, It had us all noticing it in the first place."

Lily kept having to remind herself to breath. "Unfortunately yes, I think you are right. I have to do something about Al. Victoire is working on Teddy although she only know there is a guy, not that the guy is Malfoy." Lily explained in an almost whisper.

Maggie's face suddenly looked resolved and Lily felt a glimmer of hope when she gazed at her best friend. "I guess I can keep Al busy." Maggie told her, her tone confident. "Once people notice that he's no longer trying to figure out what is going on in your head, everyone else would stop as well. Then you'll be able to continue with your secret rendezvous."

Lily managed a proper smile at Maggie's offer of help and she was finally convinced that it had been a good idea to let her in on her secret. "Do you think that will work? He has the map. I've only been able to see Malfoy when we have detention or when I know for certain Al is either asleep or doesn't have the map with him."

Margarita looked confused since she didn't know about the Marauder's Map nor what it did. However, now wasn't the time to explain. Maggie would probably fill her in later and Lily was fine with that.

Maggie's beetle black eyes sparkled when she thought of a solution. "We could just coordinate the time we spend with them. When I'm with Al, he'll hardly be able to check up on you. That's when you and Scorpius can get together." She explained slipping in her guard so that she called Malfoy by his first name. That was something Lily had not yet done, although she sometimes referred to Malfoy as Scorpius in her mind, when she spoke to him or about him, she still called him by his surname.

This was something Margarita had also picked up on. "Why do you still call him Malfoy and not Scorpius?" She asked curiously.

The question startled Lily, "I-" She began but stopped.

She knew the reason because she had thought about it often this past week. On some level she was still holding back her feelings for him. She knew that if she started calling him by his first name it would irrevocably alter their relationship. Calling him Malfoy meant that she wouldn't slip up in front of her family.

It also protected her as it acted like a kind of safety net, so that when their relationship went belly up, she would be able to keep thinking of him as a Malfoy. It would depersonalise him and in doing so, save her some heartache.

It was a historical fact that Potters and Malfoys didn't get along and were always trying to make the lives of the others more difficult (despite the respect Draco and Harry had now developed for each other). If Lily separated herself and him from their families so that they were just Lily and Scorpius, she didn't know how she would deal with their eventual and unpreventable break-up. However, she couldn't tell the girls that, not when they were so close to Scorpius.

Instead she shrugged and responded with: "Habit I guess."

Fortunately for Lily, at that moment there was a whooshing sound as the floo system activated. When the smoke subsided, Jess stood there carrying her book bag although she had tidied up her appearance so that she was ready for a shopping trip. Hannah cleared the soot from her and Jess came over explaining that she had taken a taxi to a nearby wizarding family so that she could use their fireplace since the ministry wouldn't install one at her home since her parents were muggles.

The twins and Lily successfully managed to act normal, as if their conversation prior to Jess's arrival hadn't taken place. Once they had all drunk their drinks, Delia joined them having showered and donned a pair of skinny jeans, a cropped chequered shirt and brown cowboy boots. Lily was glad to notice that she wasn't wearing a cowboy hat although her blond hair was pleated into two braids. It was happen a good thing that Delia had enlisted their help to pick out an outfit for tonight. Merlin know what she would pick out otherwise.

Now that the five girls grouped up, they headed out into muggle London after a brief detour to a dotty old wizard who exchanged a handful of galleons into muggle money for each girl accepted Jess whom didn't need any changing.

)

They found the muggle side of the city surprisingly easy to blend into. As long as they didn't stare at objects they were unfamiliar with too long. An example of such an object was what Jess called a cash machine. They were like little tiny banks squeezed into walls which would eat up a strange shaped coin and spew it back out along with some muggle money after a sequence of buttons were pressed. Lily wondered about what sort of creature was hard at work in those tiny little banks. She'd ask someone later.

They also had some pretty decent shops and it didn't take long for them to find the perfect outfit for Delia. She didn't want anything sexy since it wasn't really a style she felt comfortable in. Instead they all looked for something cute. They found an adorable short black dress with ruffles at the neckline. It was sleeveless and at the hem there images of some type of multicoloured horses Jess said were from a carousel, whatever one of those was. With it, they found a perfect pair of black stilettos and a black belt to go around her chest and give the dress shape. The clasp was in the shape of a bow.

The rest of the girls also bought a few items. They've even embarrassed Jess when they had giggled over some writing implements with stars on the end and other novelty shapes. They all purchased several of them along with some weird duck made from rubber. Lily bought one which was coloured with flowers, what great imaginations muggles had!

Shortly after one, the girls grew peckish and headed back to the Leaky Cauldron for lunch. As they walked down one of the many side streets Jess paused outside what Lily recognised as a tattoo shop. Muggle tattoos varied from wizard tattoos in that there were more design choices for muggles but they didn't move around the body like wizards ones did.

"I really want to get a tattoo!" She explained when she saw the confused expressions of her friends.

"Really? I didn't expect that from you." Lily told her honestly. Jess wasn't known for doing anything too crazy. Her parents would probably have a nervous break down if she got one.

"I'm full of surprises." Jess grinned sheepishly and it was impossible to miss the pride the felt for being able to surprise them all like that.

The group moved closer window and they examined the designs on display. They were decent enough but nothing special. "I could probably think up better designs than those." Margarita announced all of a sudden. Maggie was nodding in agreement. Yet another surprise, Margarita was good with a pen!

"Talking about surprises. Is that your brother Duanne?" Jess asked as she peered through the glass.

They all looked in the direction she was pointing and sure enough, Duanne was at the main desk talking to a girl in a leather jacket. They gaped at each other and then at Duanne when he exited the tattoo shop.

"What are you doing her?" The twins demanded in unison.

Duanne faltered and clearly looked as if he had been caught doing something he shouldn't be doing. He even looked a little panicked before he managed to recover from the shock of seeing his sisters there.

"I was just asking about prices. I was thinking about getting a serpent tattooed up my arm." He confessed- how very Slytherin of him. Lily thought about how apt that idea was. "But now I better be going to the Leaky Cauldron. I'm meeting friends there. What are you doing here?" He asked turning suspiciously to his sisters. He glared at them as if daring them to say that they were considering to get a tattoo as well.

"We're heading in the same direction. Walk with us?" Lily suggested and offered him her arm.

He took it without protest and he joined them as the all headed back to the pub. "So what have you been up to?" He asked no one in particular.

"Shopping." The girls sang at once and all had the idea to lift the bags slightly in the air.

Duanne rolled his eyes and made a definite tutting sound. "Of course, how could I not have guessed?"

As they walked, Duanne surprised everyone by offering to carry some of their bags. Lily could tell that both Jess and Delia were impressed with how civil he was being as he joined in with the hearty banter. It didn't phase him when their conversation turned to babies. When Lily was discussing her excitement with becoming a godmother, Delia let slip that her mother was expecting again- which explained Hannah's good mood.

He even managed to join in the conversation when it slipped to Delia's outfit for her date. He seemed to agree that for the first official date, Delia was right to go down the non sexy route because although guys tended to like that look, confidence was a more attractive quality. "Better to be cute and confident than sexy and insecure." He told them which had the girls nodding with approval.

Before they knew it, they arrived back at the Leaky Cauldron. "Right well. I better be off. Looks like they have a table already. You lot have fun." Duanne announced in a somewhat regretful tone.

Lily spotted the table he meant. Scorpius sat there with his back to her, nevertheless, there was no way she could mistake his aura. Sat across from him were one male and one female about their age. They both had pale skin and dark brown hair. They had strong facial features and a hooked nose typical to East European decent. They also appeared slightly familiar. "Who's that sat with Malfoy ? Is one of them- _Ollie?" _Lily asked quietly so that only Duanne could hear.

He shook his head. "No. That's Nikolina and Yakov Krum. They're staying with us at the Malfoy manor for Easter." He told her and Lily understood why she recognised them.

Their father was a friend of her Aunt Fleur's. Whenever she hosted a large dinner party the Krums had attended. Although they were quite friendly with Lily's part Veela cousins, she had never really spoken to them. "Ah ok, well catch you later." Lily said and she unhooked her arm from his and he swaggered over to join their table.

"Look there's Rose. Shall we go over and say Hi?" Delia asked and she pointed to a large table where Rose sat with some fellow students: McKenna McLaggen, Harrison Davies and Joseph Hooper.

Lily noticed that her brother Al hadn't joined them. "I'm surprised my brother isn't with them but then again, he likes to revise alone." He was probably enjoying having the house to himself.

Maggie sighed dramatically, "Tell me about it. He's taking his revision way too seriously. He's even too busy to see me." She complained bitterly.

"You should come over one day next week. That way you kids can do what ever you want during revision breaks. In fact if you are free on Tuesday we could have a study session during the day and maybe you could all stop the night. I recon that's giving my mum enough warning. I'll confirm it once I've cleared it with her."

With that settled, the girls joined Rose's table and ordered food. At first it seemed like a good idea but the mood soon turned sour. McKenna and Harrison started having a rather public and embarrassing argument about their relationship. Lily and her friends concentrated on their food and tried to ignore the scene they'd become.

Lily noticed that the other customers were staring over at their table. Her eyes locked with a pair of stormy grey ones and Lily fought the urge to go running over to him to engage in a round of tonsil hockey. That definitely was not they way to be discreet. Luckily McKenna's next outburst drew her attention to what was going on at her table and not ogling a luscious blonde.

"That's it I've had enough of your controlling crap. Do you really think I don't know what you've been up to. You always have to know what I'm doing every minute of the day because you are afraid that I'll find out that there is someone else. I may not be a Ravenclaw but I'm not a simpleton!" McKenna half screamed at Harrison and the whole room went silent.

Red faced with anger, Harrison got to his feet and they glared daggers from opposite ends of the table. "You're insane if you believe that. When would I have the time between school, my head boy duties and being with you. You're as neurotic as your brother. Your whole bloody family is mad."

Lily was furious. She liked McKenna and no one talked to her like that. She got up to stick up for her fellow team mate but McKenna gasped. Everyone watched as she didn't just slap, but punched Harrison in the face before turning on her heel and stormed towards Diagon Alley. At which point Harrison stormed out of the exit on the muggle side of the pub. Rose hurried to follow McKenna and Joseph chased after Harrison with the intention of trying to calm them down.

The rest of the table's occupants, as well as the rest of the pub stared after them. It wasn't often that you witnessed such a display in public.

"That was random." Maggie said and Lily had to agree with her. McKenna and Harrison never fought like that in the four years that they had been dating. What on earth had happened between them. Was Harrison really being unfaithful or had some malicious person planted the suspicion in McKenna's mind?

"Do you think they'll be ok?" Delia asked quietly with genuine concern.

Lily tried to answer but her eyes found Scorpius again. He was about to leave through the back door and Lily knew he wanted her to follow him. She needed to think of a plausible excuse to get out of there.

"I'm gonna try and catch Rose and McKenna, I shan't be long." She lied. That excuse was plausible since McKenna was on the Gryffindor quidditch team. They nodded and the twins seemed to detect her real reason for leaving but as promised, they said nothing.

Lily hurried after Scorpius and knew that she could depend on the twins to keep anyone from following her.

)

Lily had just about entered the courtyard and closed the door behind her when Scorpius pulled her towards him. He pressed her against the outer wall of the inn and shielded her from view with his body. He then kissed her needily and she let him. It had seemed too long since they'd been together and she felt the relief wash over her now that she was in his arms again. It felt as if she was an addict who had just scored her next fix, not that she knew how a true addict would feel. She wasn't a big drinker, she'd never smoked and she stayed well away from recreational drugs.

Part of her hated how much her body had missed him but she couldn't blame it all on hormones. _She_ had missed him too. "You could be a little more discreet you know?" She complained half-heartedly once he had ended the kiss.

He didn't allow her to pull away from him though, he held on tight as if at any moment she would disappear in a cloud of smoke. "I can't help it," He began in a husky rumble. "I've missed you. Anyway, it's not as if anyone is watching. We'll hear if anyone come out into the courtyard and the barrier to Diagon Alley is currently closed. I also block you from view so no one would be able to tell it's you. I'll just cast invisibility over you if anyone comes and I'll act as if I'm out here on my own."

Lily could see his logic and she allowed him to win that point. She only hoped she wouldn't end up regretting it. "Ok, I guess that will have to do. I've missed you too, I can't believe it's only been a week." She grimaced at how tragically pathetic her voice sounded. She really hoped she wasn't turning into one of those clingy girlfriends who couldn't bear to be apart for more than a few minutes. Those kind of girls did her head in.

Scorpius gave her a gentle squeeze. "A very long week" He agreed "And this is the first time we've run into each other. What have you been doing? Staying confined to the house?" He complained, the annoyance seeping in to his tone.

"I've been studying for my OWLS just like you should be studying for your NEWTS." She may wish she was able to spend time with him instead of studying but she would never really allow that to happen. No matter how much she liked him, she knew that boys come and go while her exam results would affect her future. Besides there would always be boys after the exams were over. Not that Lily would get to see him much since he would have graduated. She tried not to linger too much on that unpleasant thought.

"Pah, I'm not worried one bit, I'll breeze through them" He informed her cockily.

"Arrogant much." She grinned and then her expression turned solemn. "Anyways I've also been keeping my mum company. My Dad's been called off to help the Australians with Uncle Ron. She's been worried sick although she doesn't want us to know that."

His gaze turned sympathetic. "I heard about the troubles out there. Don't worry they'll be fine and the Australian Ministry will have things under control in no time." He hugged her to comfort her until she no longer felt she needed to be comforted.

His lips were on hers again. His hands cradled the sides of her face and he nudged he lips apart with his thumbs. Slowly his tongue entered her mouth sending ripples of desire through her. As their kiss deepened, both forgot where they were. They forgot that they were in a public place and they forgot the risk of getting caught.

His lips moved away from hears and drifted so that he gently nuzzled her neck. Lily gasped as she clung to him and his breathing turned ragged as well.

Suddenly something had Lily jerking away from him with the look of horror in her eyes. "Did you hear that?" She gasped. She was sure she heard a high pitch gasp that didn't belong to either of them. Scorpius froze as well since he had also heard the sound. Forgetting their previous plan for him to cast invisibility on her, she pushed him away and ducked under his arm so that she could get away.

That had been a huge mistake.

Standing a couple of meters away from them, staring through wide, slightly bloodshot eyes was someone Lily hoped was an aspiration.

Lily let out a noise which was half a horrified gasp and half a strangled cry.

"Rose"

**Hoped you enjoyed this chapter. I got it finished earlier than expected.**


	32. C32: A brief glimpse of parenthood

**Hey y'all, I'm back with another chapter. Sorry about the delay, I've been busy reading The House of Night series. The main character really does my head in but I couldn't seem to put the books down.**

**I want to thank everyone who is reading and reviewing my story. If it wasn't for you guys I probably would have given up about now. **

**Part of this chapter was one of the first scenes I wrote for the story however I had to rewrite due to feedback in reviews. Lily was going to originally date Duanne and this was when Scorpius and Lily were going to try and start to get along for Duanne's sake. It just goes to show how important you reviewers are. If it wasn't for you, many of the lovely scenes between my favourite couple wouldn't have happened yet. THANKS x**

**Chapter 32 - A brief glimpse of parenthood**

Rose stood gawking at them, her face the perfect image of shock. Her skin was no longer peaches and cream but a nasty yellowish green which soon turned a sickly white as her ears flamed red. Lily realised with a sickening jolt in her stomach, she would not be able to make up an excuse for her being with Scorpius outside the Leaky Cauldron. Rose had already seen too much, she already knew!

Lily took a step forward and was surprised that her whole body wasn't shaking. "Rose" She said again, this time he voice sounded strong. So much stronger than she felt.

Her voice drew Rose's attention to her. Her colouring returned to normal and her mocha eyes narrowed into thin slits as her piercing gaze flicked from Lily to Scorpius.

"You!" She exclaimed in a cold calm tone as she zeroed in on Scorpius.

"Rose please" Lily begged her cousin to be calm.

Rose didn't spare her a glance, her attention was focused at that point, entirely on the Slytherin.

Scorpius took a deep breath and held her gaze. "Rosie" He said in a smooth, warm voice that implied familiarity. Lily felt a stab of jealousy at the fondness in his voice which she shook off quickly.

Rose flinched at the endearing way he said her name. "You wait here, I'll come back to you!" She told him but her voice wasn't as steady as a moment ago. It cracked. Rose turned on Lily and her eyes flashed with silent rage. "You come with me. We need to talk." Lily felt her mouth go dry as Rose grasped her forearm tightly and dragged her into the pub and straight to the restroom, without any of the pub's occupants noticing them. Then Rose all but threw her younger cousin into one of the stalls as she locked the door and cast a silencing charm.

Lily rubbed her forearm tentatively to ease the pain inflicted by the other girl's nails and watched her cousin nervously. The lack of room made her feel claustrophobic, she had nowhere to run. Knowing that she was corned, Lily took a deep breath and prepared to face her cousin's wrath.

"So you and Scorpius then." Rose demanded getting straight to the point. She saw no point beating around the bush.

Lily wasn't going to deny it so she was going to be straight with her. "Yes, we are together. Please don't tell anyone." Lily felt no shame asking the request.

Rose folded her arms across her chest acting like a defensive barrier between the two. "Why?" She asked and Lily knew she wasn't asking her why she should keep it quiet even before Rose spoke her next words. "I mean, it's not as if you like him or anything."

"I do like him, he's not the person I thought he was." Lily explained simply, silently pleading with her cousin through her eyes.

On reflection, Lily knew she should have explained more about her reasons for being with the Slytherin. It probably would have prevented the rant her cousin then went on, and Lily would have managed to keep her temper under control.

"So you've finally come to realise that he's not the big barrel of evil you thought he was. Turned into quite a catch then didn't he. Eh? What did you do? Bat your eyes at him and he suddenly fell under the spell that every damn boy in our school seems to be under." Rose spat bitterly.

Lily's temper flared at the accusation and she failed to keep her anger from her voice as she retaliated. "Rose it wasn't like that. I've only known the reasons behind his mask for a couple of weeks and we've sort of had a thing for a while now. Besides, I. Did. Not. Chase. After. Him."

Rose blanched at Lily's final words. She saw the hurt in Rose's eyes when she told her that she wasn't the one to seek out Scorpius. Despite that, Lily didn't stop there, largely as a result of her anger, but also the green eyed monster of jealousy began to surface again. "If you are not happy about this and are looking for someone to blame then I have news for you. It is not all on me. Headmaster Croston forced Malfoy and I together during the regular detentions we've had in the library. Even if we both wanted to avoid each other, we couldn't have been able to. Then if Duanne and I didn't have whatever we had going on, then Malfoy probably wouldn't have been all jealous and he wouldn't have made his move. I did try to say no at first but by then, for some reason I really didn't want to. In the back of my mind I also had you and my Dad speaking to me. You told me that Malfoy wasn't as bad as I thought he was. Then Victoire urged me to take a risk even though she had no idea who was involved."

Reacting to anger in Lily's voice and the challenge that had been set, Rose knew exactly where to cut. "If he really means that much to you then you wouldn't keep it secret."

That immediate shut Lily up and the two cousins glared at each other as the tension thickened in the confined space between them. After a moments hesitation, Lily continued on instinct. When she spoke the words she knew the truth in them. "How can you judge me for liking him and wanting to keep it secret. You! You out of everyone should understand that people discovering my relationship with him would irritate my brothers and then that would be the end of me and him before it has truly started. You are such a hypocrite, when the fact is: you and he are friends. Have you told my brothers about that? No because it is none of their damn business."

Startled, Rose was silent for a long time as she stood processing Lily's words. Lily may have regretted loosing her temper but she was still too angry to care.

Finally Rose's expression softened and she took a step backwards so that she leant against the cubicle door. "You are right." She eventually admitted.

All of Lily's anger evaporated with the words. She waited for her heart rate to slow down and her breathing to return to normal. "Are you going to tell people?" Lily asked quietly.

Rose relaxed completely and the tension between them evaporated. "No, I'll keep this secret for you and in return I'll expect you to keep mine."

Lily allowed herself to smile, her secret was safe for now. "Rose, I would never have told anyone, even if you had told my brother what you now know about me." Lily assured her honestly.

Rose finally looked embarrassed. "I'm sorry for saying every guy in the school is under your spell. I didn't mean it." She mumbled.

Lily burst out laughing and Rose joined in. The sound came as a welcome relief and Lily hugged her cousin reassuringly as she continued. "Yes you did although you are wrong. Not every guy likes me like that. In fact most probably don't. They just like the idea of me." She finished, pulling away from the embrace and shrugging.

Rose nodded and broke the spells she'd cast to keep anyone from listening in. "Ok, I'll see you another day. I'm going to talk to Scorpius and then I'll go home. It's been an exhausting day." She said as she opened the door and the pair of them spilled out of the cubicle to the larger area of the restroom.

Before Rose could leave completely, Lily asked, "How is McKenna?"

Rose paused by the door and turned to face Lily. "She will be fine." She said with a shrug and then continued. "She's been looking for an excuse to end things with Harrison for a while now. She could have just told him privately." She said with obvious disapproval. "But everyone expected them to be together and get married after Hogwarts. She felt that breaking up with him for the simple reason that she doesn't want to be with him, would disappoint other people. She should have just been thinking about the two of them." She paused and then smiled meaningfully at Lily. "That's something maybe you should keep in mind."

Lily nodded but was unwilling to face up to that comment just then. Instead she kept the conversation topic on McKenna and Harrison. "So Harrison hasn't been cheating on her?"

Lily thought she saw suppressed guilt flare up in Rose's eyes which made her wonder exactly what relationship the head boy and girl had. "He has not physically betrayed her." Rose admitted evasively.

"But in his mind he has? Rose." Lily continued without judgement and hoped Rose caught the meaningful way she said her name.

Rose did not miss the insinuation and answered as she left the room. "I guess we can't control who we fall in love with."

Lily watched her leave and couldn't agree more. Love was definitely something that couldn't be controlled. She calmly followed Rose out of the restroom until the meaning of her thoughts suddenly sunk in. Then she froze, overpowered by the terrifying thought that she was actually falling in love with the blond haired Slytherin. She was too young to be feeling that way about anyone, she told herself firmly. She mentally shook off the thought for her to deal with at a later date and went to join her friends.

They were still sat at the table where Lily had left them, although they had spread out around the table as none of them expected any of the seventh years to return. They were making their way through the largest ice-cream sundae Lily had ever seen and when she approached the table, Maggie tossed her a spoon.

Lily took it, helped herself to the desert and joined the conversation. Lily told them that she hadn't managed to catch up with McKenna when Delia asked and then their conversation turned to what plans they had for the rest of the holidays. It was around that time when Luna Scamander approached the table radiating her usual mystical aura.

"Lily dear, I was hoping to bump into you here." She announced dreamily.

"Aunt Luna! How can I help you?" Lily asked, motioning to an empty seat.

Luna shook her head and remained standing. "I was wondering if you are free to look after the twins on Thursday. Rolf and I have been invited to meet with the Romanian Naturalist Society." She announced excitedly which didn't puzzle Lily in the least. Her Godmother's work always had her as excited as Maggie was in a shoe shop. "They think they have found evidence of a previously undiscovered species living in some caves there and they want us to take a look. It may just be a Crumple-Horned Snorkack! I'm so excited." She finished unnecessarily.

Lily had no idea what a Crumple-Horned Snorkack was supposed to be but she did know how much she adored the twins. "I'd love to baby-sit the twins. What time do you want me?" She asked without hesitation knowing immediately that her mum wouldn't object. Thursday night was ladies night at the Burrow. They sent Arthur Weasley to visit Rose's muggle grandparents to learn more about electricity and whatnot, while the women of the family, not including Lily and her cousins, all got together and did Merlin knows what.

"Well, we'll be leaving at nine o'clock in the morning and we probably wont be back until late, maybe 10 pm." She explained.

Excitement bubbled inside her. Luna and Rolf were ok with Lily inviting friends over to help her with the twins as long as they acted responsibly. It would be the perfect opportunity to spend some time with Scorpius, that was if he'd be able to cope with the two boisterous toddlers. "I can't wait!" Lily declared.

Luna clapped her hands together. "I knew I could depend on you. Now I need to go and find Rolf and the twins and let them know the good news." With that as her final comment, Luna whipped around and left the Leaky Cauldron.

"What's a Crumple-Horned Snorkack?" Margarita asked once she'd gone.

This had the other girls on the table in a fit of giggles. "I have no idea, I tend not to ask. Rose would say that they don't exist, however Aunt Luna has discovered several creatures that everyone thought didn't evist." Lily explained.

The girls didn't spend too much time after that in the pub. Delia needed to get ready for her date tonight and Lily needed to ask her mum if it would be ok for the girls to come over to study on Tuesday, as well as mention her babysitting plans.

As expected, Albus was still busy studying when Lily got back. She had to wait for her mum to get home though and by the sounds of it, she had had a successful shopping trip. Ginny was more than happy for Lily to have a sleepover with her friends along as they actually did some studying. She also had no problems with Lily babysitting for the Scamanders.

When Lily retired to her room that night, one of the Malfoy's owls was waiting for her with a note. Lily read the note and got some water and treats for the owl. She knew from experience that the owl would stay until she attached a responding letter.

This time Scorpius' letter was brief, mentioning how much he wanted to see her again and telling her that the Krum family would be going back to Bulgaria in the morning. He also apologised for not mentioning that they had come to visit. Lily's replying letter was also brief, she scribbled:

Malfoy,

I'm babysitting Lorcan and Lysander Scamander on Thursday. You are welcome to join me, that is if you don't mind being around the most audacious and hyperactive infants on the planet. To say that the twins are high maintenance would be an understatement. Nevertheless it will be a fun day.

L.P.

Lily attached the note to the owl's claw and it quickly returned to it's master. Lily would give Scorpius more details such as the time and address once she was sure that he planned to join her.

)

The next days passed quickly. Harry called in everyday telling them that the situation in Australia was improving by the day. Lily finished the remainder of her Homework and got a lot of revision done. Her study session with the girls was informative as each added valuable perspectives to the subjects. Delia told them all about the date with Hugo which she enjoyed thoroughly, and Maggie was happy since she was able to spend time with Al during their breaks.

Thursday arrived and after only an hour watching the twins alone, Lily was already in trouble.

Lily was outside in the Scamander's cottage style garden. Fruit trees were scattered around the garden and the flowerbeds were full with every species of rose. Lily currently stood under an old plum tree staring up into the branches, mentally cursing Scorpius for being late. She could hear the delighted chuckles of the mischievous boys drifting down from the upper branches. They had magically transported themselves there knowing full well that Lily wasn't allowed to used magic out of school. They were too smart for their own good.

"Come down from there you two." Lily instructed firmly. She really needed Scorpius to arrive and quickly. He was of age and able to use magic whenever he pleased.

"No! we wont." One of the boys shouted at her, she couldn't work out which one it was.

Hands on hip, Lily shouted their names in an authoritarian tone which usually had them obeying. It didn't work. "No, no, no, no, no!" They chortled. "We up here like the pretty birdies!"

"Oh crap" Lily muttered under her breath as she tried to think up another tactic.

With inconveniently good hearing, the twins picked up on what she said. "Crap, crap, crap." They sang.

"Shh don't say that word." Lily begged knowing a second too late that she shouldn't have reacted. Her reaction just encouraged them and she was great to another chorus of the twins singing "Crap!"

"If you come down we can play any game you want. I'll also give you some cake! I baked some especially but you can't have any if you stay up there. " Lily shouted up to them, hoping that bribery would work.

"OK. We fly down now."

Appalled but also glad that they had stopped cussing she shouted back at them. "No! Stay there for a minute. I'll come up to you and we can fly down together." The last thing she needed was for them to jump out of the tree. She wouldn't panic if she thought they meant that they would teleport back down but instinctively she knew they would just jump and test out their flying capabilities.

"Yay, fly like pretty birdies." One of them, probably Lysander, giggled.

Lily glanced around the garden to try and find something she could use to get up the tree and get them down. She spotted a strange garden feature where a ladder was propped between two overgrown bushes with little flower baskets hanging from it. Lily ran to it, unhooked the flower baskets and pulled the ladder free.

Once she had it propped against the tree the twins were hiding in, she began to climb. When the ladder ran out she was still nowhere near the twins. She then moved from branch to branch until she got stuck. At least she could see the twins now, She thought as she tried to figure a way to get to them.

Lorcan sat on the branch near to her, laughing and shaking twigs from his light blonde hair. Lysander was hanging from the branch above his brother. His silver grey eyes were too intelligent for his age as he watched her. Suddenly, out of nowhere a loud popping noise sounded and Lily almost fell of the branch she was precariously perched on. Both of the boy's attention flew down to someone standing at the bottom of the tree.

"Having fun?" Scorpius' amused titter drifted up to her.

In no mood to laugh at that moment Lily snapped at him. "Took you long enough! Help me get these two down."

This had him laughing all the harder. "Now why would I do that? I like the view."

Lily did not appreciate his comment in the slightest, especially since she happened to be wearing a skirt. She almost yelled his name but stopped herself in time. If she hadn't of then one of the twins if not both of them would repeat it to their parents and then she would be in trouble. Instead she chose to glare at him, thankful that he was visible through the branches.

He winced and took out his wand. Using a summoning charm, he called the twins out of the tree and into his arms. They laughed gleefully all the while.

Lily was then free to climb down the tree herself since her problem was with getting up and not down. She chuckled as she realised that the boys had sort of flown down, just like they wanted to, but safely. She needed to get them all inside so this didn't happen again.

With her feet firmly on the ground she could appreciate the humorous side of the situation and she joined the three blondes with a huge grin on her face.

Lysander reached out to Lily when she stood next to Scorpius. She openly welcomed him into her arms. "You are not going to do that again today are you?" She asked him and swung him around in her arms. He laughed and shook his head. "That's a good boy. Now do you two want some of the cake I brought with me?"

The twins nodded and the four of them headed towards the cottage. Lysander in Lily's arms and Lorcan surprisingly happy in Scorpius' despite him being a stranger. Scorpius wrapped his free arm around Lily's waist and so their day together began.

The lion cake Lily had baked with the help of her grandma went down a treat. The twins gobbled up their slices and managed to smother a large proportion of it over their faces. Lily couldn't resist getting the camera out so that their parents could see what they got up to.

Neither of the twins asked for Scorpius' name. They knew they were safe with him due to the way Lily acted around him and visa versa. The boys made a game out of making up names for him. When he tried to teach them about quidditch, they called him Captain, an when he let them climb all over him, they called him Horsey.

Lily enjoyed watching them, taking photos and joining in with the games. Scorpius went overboard with the camera when he had possession of it. Luna and Rolf would have a large collection of photos to sieve through. Lily decided to hold onto some of them and she made sure that the ones with Scorpius in were put to one side. She couldn't leave them hanging around.

She'd never expected Scorpius to be so good with the boys. He was a natural. She couldn't help notice the resemblance between Scorpius and the toddles with them all having light blonde hair and silver grey eyes. Lily found herself wondering if his kids would actually look like the Scamander twins and once the thought entered her mind, she couldn't prevent herself from imagining what her children would look like if Scorpius was the father.

Her thoughts terrified and freaked her out a little and when Scorpius turned his penetrating gaze to her, she blushed thinking that he could read her thoughts in her eyes. He smiled at her reassuringly and took her hand as they set the camera up for a group photo. Scorpius posed with Lysander clinging to his back. Lily stood next to him, one hand around his back and the other tousling Lorcan's hair as he stood with his arms wrapped around her legs. Lily buried her head in his shoulder, relishing in the comfort his closeness provided as the camera flashed.

The photographic image of herself showed the same affection and she placed the image with the rest of the photos.

After lunch, they sang nursery rhymes and danced to the Twisted Toadstools on the radio. They even got the face paints out when the twins got restless again. Lysander wanted to be a tiger and Lorcan a goblin. Lily then offered the face paints to the twins and hoped she wouldn't regret her decision.

Thrilled with the responsibility of painting their babysitters' faces, the boy conspired and worked together. The gave Lily circular red cheeks and black lines around her eyes which Lily assumed to be eyelashes. She got off a lot easier than Scorpius. They scribbled all over his face and told him he was a Hippogrith. There was a lot more laughter after that.

In the late afternoon, Lysander toddled over to Lily with one final request. "Lily, will you read to us?" He asked with his best puppy dog eyes and an adorable pout on his lips.

Lily couldn't resist such cuteness. She agreed and lifted him into the air and cuddling him. He wrapped his chubby arms around her neck and she shifted his weight so that he was balanced on her hip. Only when he was securely in place, did she approach the book case to choose a story to read.

The Scamanders had a decent collection of reading material it wasn't long before Lily's gaze zeroed in on one particular book. The tales of Beedle the Bard had been a favourite of hers when she was their age. "How about the tales of the wizard and the Hopping Pot?" She asked.

"That's my very favourite story in the whole wide world" Lorcan yelled as he jumped up and down on the daybed under Scorpius' supervision. Lysander also made his approval known. With that decision made, the four of them grouped together.

"There was once a kindly old wizard…" Lily read as the four of them got comfortable and snuggled up on the daybed. Her calm tones had a instantly soothing effect on them all and they began to give in to the exhaustion. Some time later, Lily felt her eyes droop and her grip on the book slackened as she listened to the soft snores of the twins.

Lily didn't know at what time they drifted off to sleep but when she awoke it was almost nine o'clock. She stretched dopily and became aware of several things at once. Scorpius was also asleep, she had snuggled up to him in her sleep and his arm was around her. Looking up, she noticed how peaceful he looked as he slept. She would have liked to watch him some more but they weren't the only ones in the room. Lorcan was curled up to her right and Lysander slept curled up on Lily's stomach.

Gingerly, she moved Lysander and placed him next to his brother without waking him. Seeing the twins so peaceful in their slumber was a surreal experience. In this state it was difficult to comprehend how much energy they had. This was the longest time she'd spent with them without any of the adults around. Taking care of twins was really hard work. She crossed her fingers hoping that when she eventually did have children, she would have no more than one newborn at a time. She didn't know how Luna and Rolf did it.

Thinking about those two brought her attention to voices coming from outside. With a flash of panic, she recognised Luna's voice. They had come back early and Scorpius was still here. Lily shook Scorpius awake. "You have to go now!" Lily told him urgently.

Scorpius groaned still half asleep. "What?"

Annoyed and scared that Luna or Rolf would walk in on them at any moment, Lily dragged Scorpius to his feet. "They're back earlier than expected. You have to get out of here."

She could hear the voices getting louder and Scorpius heard them as well. That woke him up and he quickly summoned his belongings to him. "Oh, right. I'll see you at Hogwarts." He rushed and stole a quick kiss. "Write to me?"

Rolling her eyes she hissed "I will, now go." She gave him a gentle shove he apperated home with a pop.

A few seconds later, Luna and Rolf walked through their front door. If they had heard Scorpius leave, it wasn't obvious. They both appeared weary after what was bound to be a tiring day chasing leads across the Romanian countryside. "Aunt Luna, Uncle Rolf." Lily chimed as she hugged them.

"How've they been today." Rolf asked as Luna stifled a yawn

"They've been a pleasure as always. They're sound asleep on the day bed. Do you want me to take them upstairs?" Lily assured them.

"No thank you my dear. They'll be fine there until morning. I swear they sleep in that day bed more than their own cribs!" Luna laughed as she unloaded her bags of equipment.

"Would you like to stay the night." Rolf offered casually.

Lily shook her head, thoroughly relieved that they hadn't seen Scorpius before he managed to leave. "No thank you. I better be off, I have more revision to do tomorrow."

"Very well, would you like me to take you home via a side long apperation. It saves you from having to clear the soot off you." Rolf offered.

"That would be great Uncle Rolf. I'll just gather my things." Lily ran to collect her things and noticed the stack of photos they'd taken. Suddenly remembering that Scorpius had been in some of them she sifted through the images and pocketing the ones she needed hidden. She couldn't find the group photo they'd taken. Half pleased that the image of Scorpius knew he needed to stay out of frame and half irritated that she couldn't pick out which one he was in, Lily pocketed the possible suspects.

"Was your trip a success?" Lily called out once she was certain that there was no trace of Scorpius anywhere. Of course the twins knew a guy had been with her, they had both been careful not to mention Scorpius' name. The twins had been quite happy to make up names for him. 'Blondie' had been a favourite of theirs.

Luna sighed with disappointment as she put the kettle over the fire. "Sadly no. But I haven't given up on my search for the Crumple-Horned Snorack." Her determination to find one still blazed in her eyes.

"I hope you find it." Lily said honestly and then turned her attention to the sleeping twins. "They look so peaceful don't they."

"Yes, they love being around their Aunt Lily. You are always so good to them. Just think, in a few years you'll have children of your own."

Lily felt a tiny hint of fear at the idea of becoming a mum. She couldn't blame Luna for bringing up the subject, she didn't know the effect it would have on her. "More than a few years I expect, I'm only sixteen."

"Of course you are dear. But when the time comes you'll be a great mum." Luna told her with a reassuring smile.

Luna didn't seem to notice the uncomfortable silence that grew between them. Lily was grateful when Rolf entered the room asking her if she was ready to go home.

A couple of minutes later, Lily was in her bedroom hoping that if she dreamed, it wouldn't be about becoming a mum or about Scorpius and the twins who bore a strong remembrance to him.

If Lily dreamt that night, she didn't remember them.

The remainder of the holiday passed her by and in no time at all, she was back at Hogwarts.

**Thanks for reading. Until next time, take care! x**


	33. C33: Victory

**I Finally get to upload this, My internet has been down. Thank you to all who read and/or reviewed my last chapter. Only three more chapter about Lily's time at Hogwarts! And 17 chapters until the end!**

**Chapter 33: Victory**

After little over a week of being back at Hogwarts it felt as if the Easter Holiday had been an eternity ago. It was a welcome relief when the weekend arrived once more. Lily's first realisation when she woke up that Saturday morning, was that something important was happening today. Her second realisation was that she couldn't remember what that important thing was. She clearly remembered that she'd been up half the night due to nerves but she couldn't recall what she was nervous about. It was just typical!

Puzzled and exasperated, she threw off her covers and sat up in bed. She could hear Maggie's shallow breaths as she slept in the bed next to hers. Obviously whatever she was nervous about didn't have the same effect on Maggie. Lily stifled a yawn and moved to open the draw of her bedside table. If her brain wasn't going to engage and work out what she'd forgotten, she'd have to figure it out another way.

Lily pulled out a large scroll of parchment and unrolled it. It was a revision timetable Jess had handed out to each of them. She'd figured that the others especially Delia and Maggie would be in need of a strict timetable because they were easily distracted. Jess had it right, they were finding any excuse to go and see their boyfriends instead of doing the extra work Jess was making them do on top of everything else. There was only so much work a person could do without their head exploding. What Jess didn't know was that Lily was just as eager to ditch the extra work so that she could see Malfoy outside her detentions. A secret that was much easier to keep now that Rose and the Zabini siblings were in the loop.

Lily's eyes skimmed across the dates. Only two of them had been left free between now and June 1st when exams start. One was on Friday, the 2nd of May, the anniversary of the fall of Lord Voldemort. The morning would be spent outside in an assembly of students and former students, remembering those who lost their lives during his rise to power. The evening was a complete contrast. Everyone got dressed up to celebrate the fact that the Wizarding community in Britain now lived in peace.

The other free space was today, set aside as it was the final Quidditch match of the season between Ravenclaw and Gryffindor!"

Lily cursed as the nerves formed afresh. There was no way she could stay in bed any longer. She leapt off her bed, slipped on her quidditch uniform and stuffed a fresh set of clothes in a bag.

So not to wake her roommates she crept down to the common room. The first thing she noticed was the storm outside. She was suddenly filled with dread, how was she going to concentrate on finding the snitch when all her efforts would be spent on trying to stay on her broom? She may have to forgo using her Premium Firebolt in favour of her standard one, it was just too fast. Then again, she'd never live it down if the news got back to either James or Louis. She'd decide last minute since all the team's brooms were kept safely locked away in the Gryffindor changing room.

"At least we only need a draw!" Someone called from the corner of the room.

Lily span around to see Michael Jordan. She was already dressed in her quidditch kit with her dreadlocks scraped off her face in a tight ponytail. She looked just as nervous as Lily felt.

"Still, we'll never live it down if we loose" Hugo said unhelpfully as he entered the room with Chester behind him.

"It's not as if we'll win the House Cup, we can't come out of this game empty handed." Chester explained.

As if they didn't all know that already. If just added to the pressure. The only houses in the running for the House Cup this year were Slytherin and Ravenclaw, "Not exactly the way to go about settling the nerves." Lily chided and got a few chuckles in response.

"What do you recommend we do to settle our nerves?" Chester asked Lily with a wink.

Being captain she should know but she really didn't have any advice to offer. She was grateful that Al, Amelia and Kenna chose to enter the common room at that time. "Oh, you lot can't sleep either?" Amelia said cheerfully, "I was just telling Al and Kenna that the storm kept me up since the early hours of the morning. We were just about to go down to the kitchen and ask the House Elves if they have any coffee. Al was telling me that Teddy likes to drink it so they should have some in stock. Fancy coming and grabbing a cup?"

Lily, who was fighting off a yawn thought that a marvellous idea. She was also struggling with lack of sleep and a cup of coffee wouldn't only just give her a caffeine boost she needed, but it would also warm her in preparation for braving the storm. "I'll come along" Lily agreed and followed the trio out of the portrait hall.

By the time they reached the kitchen, the entire Gryffindor Quidditch team had decided to come along and had caught up with them. The House Elves were overjoyed to have visitors but they were busy preparing breakfast for the students and staff. Nevertheless, they each got a mug of coffee and the promise that some more would be sent to the Gryffindor table when breakfast started in half an hour. They wondered back up to the Great Hall sipping their drinks and chatting.

By the time the team wondered up to the Great Hall, the wind had reached howling point. The rain fell unusually hard for the time of year and the sound of thunder did nothing to lift their mood. Lily felt rather sick when she sat at the Gryffindor table along with her team-mates. She didn't have the stomach to eat anything so she nursed a coffee while the others picked at their meagre portions.

"Stop worrying Lily" Amelia said cheerfully. "We'll be fine, Headmaster Croston wouldn't let up play if we were in any danger because of the storm."

"Yes and all that practise you got us to do regardless of the weather puts us in good stead." said Michaela soothingly.

Not wanting to be left out Kenna added. "This year is our year Lily, I can feel it." Kenna had recently been in a surprisingly happy mood considering she'd just broken up with her boyfriend. It seemed Rose had been right in Kenna's motives behind provoking the fight in the Leaky Cauldron. Harrison had taken the break up hard but there was still hope for her cousin yet. They'd been spending more time together than necessary for Head Boy and Girl.

As if hearing Lily's thoughts as a summons, Rose appeared at the table besides them and offered them her best wishes for the match as she glanced anxiously and the ceiling which mirrored the storm outside.

Maggie joined them soon after with Jess, Delia and Margarita. All were dressed in reds and gold. Even Margarita wore a red jumper with her jeans. Jess received a few dirty looks from her younger housemates but the older Ravenclaws had long since accepted that Jess would support Lily no matter what. It was a shame Lily didn't realise just how unconditional Jess's friendship was with her.

When it came to the match, the entire school showed up despite the weather. All students were wrapped up warm in waterproof cloaks as they hurried down the lawn to the stands. Umbrellas were turning inside out left right and centre.

Just before Lily entered the changing room she bumped into Scorpius or more accurately, he bumped into her. He acted as rude as ever so that all those around her could hear, but he did wish her luck under his breath. They shared a secret smile as he flashed her the top of his red jumper he wore in support of her team before he hurried to the stands and she into the changing rooms. The gesture cheered her up and filled her with confidence. She could do this.

The team switched their cloaks for their scarlet quidditch robes and hung their spare set of clothes up in either the male or female Gryffindor changing room. She didn't bother with a pep talk, everyone knew what they had to do. When choosing her broom, it was Al who made up Lily's mind to use her newest one. If Al could control the Premium Firebolt in this weather then so could she.

With the sounds of the crowds drifting to them above the storm, Lily headed to the pitch with her team-mates behind her. They all swaggered under the force of the raging gale as the Ravenclaws approached from the opposite side of the pitch.

Lily shook hands with Harrison, the Ravenclaw captain and eyed their seeker with growing confidence. Eliza Elliot was a tiny little thing who was putting all her effort into staying upright. Comparing seeker to seeker, Gryffindor definitely had the advantage.

The teams mounted their brooms and at the faint sound of Madame Hawke's whistle above the storm, they were off.

Lily's launch was extremely fast and her broom wavered slightly in the wind. It was such a superior broom that she was surprised at how easy it handled despite the weather. Within minutes her clothes were thoroughly drenched and the temperature of ice when the wind hit her. All the effects of having warm drink after warm drink wore off instantly.

Lily could hardly see her team-mates as she searched for the snitch. She relied almost entirely on Jamie's commentary on the match which due to magic, she could hear quite clearly.

Her broom raced off course only during the strongest and most determined of gusts, as she search the sky for a glint of gold. "60, 20 to Ravenclaw" the Ravenclaw commentator bragged. They were loosing Lily realised. She needed to spot the snitch and fast.

She narrowly missed a bludger to the head, twice, but then she saw it. Hovering about a meter off the ground near the Ravenclaw goalposts, was the golden snitch. Lily put her broom into a dive. A growl of thunder and a flash of light illuminated Lily's decent and the position of the snitch. It drew Eliza Elliot's attention. She was closer but Lily's broom was faster. She hurtled towards the ground.

Lily's heart pounded wildly in her chest. Victory was almost within her reach. Her fingers curled around the little ball as a gust of wind sent her zooming off in the opposite direction. She held on firmly to the snitch but was unable to keep herself seated on her broom.

She fell the short distance to the ground, rolling across the sodden grass. She span several times, getting caked in a thicker layer of mud with each roll. The dirty water soaked straight to her skin and clung to her hair.

Ignoring the messy state she was in, she leapt to her feet and as soon as she was able to, she held the struggling snitch up in the air.

The whistle sounded and Jamie took great pleasure in announcing Gryffindor's victory.

The crowd's cheers rose above the storm and Lily's team-mates landed around her. Al was the first to reach her and pulled her into a huge bear hug. "We won, we won" The Chasers chanted and it wasn't long before the entire team was involved in a group hug completely oblivious to the storm still raging around them.

Each of the team members kissed Lily's mud encased cheek except for Chester who opted for a full on kiss on the lips. It earned him an elbow nudge from both Al and Hugo and Lily pulled away from him. She distinctly heard him mutter that it was worth it and didn't know how to react. She only hoped Scorpius hadn't seen it.

Tears in their eyes, the Gryffindor team approached Headmaster Croston who stood waiting with the Quidditch Cup. They took it in turns to hold it as they jumped up and down with joy. The Gryffindor crowd roared their pleasure twice as loud as the storm!

In utter disarray, the team managed to head back to the changing rooms only to be accosted by a group of Gryffindor's, one Hufflepuff, a Ravenclaw and Slytherin. Hands came from every direction as people reached to pat them on their backs.

"Well done Lily" Someone yelled.

"You were all awesome" Another shouted.

"Party! Party!" Brian Finnegan chanted.

"You go get it started, I'll stop off at the kitchens on my way back." Al replied and many of the Gryffindors rushed towards the castle. Lily's friends hung back a minute and fought their way to Lily to offer their congratulations before they too, headed to the Gryffindor common room and left the team to shower and change.

Lily waited for the last of the boys to enter their changing rooms before she headed to the girls shower and turned on the hot water. Kenna, Michaela and Amelia were already there washing the rainwater out of their hair. They were all laughing, delighted over their win. Each girl still shook slightly as the adrenalin surged through them. Lily's muscles ached as she peeled her mud-soaked uniform from her body. The warm water came as a welcome relief as it felt as if it the storm had chilled her to the bone.

"Do you want us to wait?" Amelia shouted to Lily once she was dressed. She and the other two chasers were completely dressed and itching to get back to the common room.

"No, you go ahead and arrange the party. I'm going to stay here and make sure I get all this mud out." Lily called to them. There was no point having them wait, she didn't know how long it would take to get all the dirt out of her tresses. So Michaela, Amelia and Kenna left the changing room leaving Lily to concentrate on her hair.

Once clean and dry Lily entered the empty changing room. The place was so quiet and no noise carried in from the adjacent rooms. It sounded as if she was the only student left in the changing area. She squeezed as much of the water out of her hair as she could and twisted it into a bun. She then resumed getting dressed in a simple white cotton t-shirt and a floral skirt appropriate to the late spring season but not the weather. Grimacing at the reminder of how ugly the weather was, Lily reached for her tights and jacket.

All of a sudden she found herself being dragged backwards against someone's hard chest and a pair of hands resting on her stomach. She was all but ready the scream when she recognised the person's cologne. "You shouldn't sneak up on people." She hissed as she felt his fingertips pulling at the cotton fabric of her top.

Scorpius chuckled huskily and nuzzled her neck. Lily let out a soft moan when he nibbled her earlobe. All thoughts of scolding him forgotten she threw her head back, sucking in her breath when his palm slid over the toned skin of her abdomen. "Can't blame a guy for stealing a moment alone to congratulate his girl."

His touch was so gentle as one hand slip higher up underneath her top. She twisted in his embrace so she faced him and her lips sought his. "Just please tell me Chester Thomas wont be your date to the Ball on Friday." He growled, nipping at her bottom lip.

He was jealous for sure. Lily felt a wave of perverse pleasure over that. "He's not, Brian asked me to go as friends." She assured him soothingly.

"Finnegan?" He asked, his hands now starting at her knee, moving upwards ever so slowly and slipping under the boundary of her skirt.

"Yes, who are you going with?" Lily managed to gasped as she slipped her own hands under his top and brushing her palms against his skin.

He groaned as she scrapped her teeth gently across his exposed collarbone. "Margarita. Promise me one dance at least." Lily hesitated in her answer and response to his kisses. He too stiffened and pulled away from her seeking a position where he could look her directly in the eyes. "It'll prove to the Headmaster that his detentions have worked, that we can be civil together."

Lily saw the flicker of hurt in his eyes and it pained her that she wasn't strong enough yet to prevent it. She smiled as sweetly as she could. "Since you put it that way I promise to share one dance with you."

He sighed and pulled her against him once more. "And I get to choose which one?"

"Certainly." Lily gave him her word. His movements immediately became bolder than ever before. His hands delving under her garments exploring her body, her unwilling to stop him.

"Oh wow! Eww." Someone shrieked after sneaking up on the couple.

They leapt apart in an instant. "Maggie!" Lily exclaimed, appalled now that she recognised her best friends voice.

"Eye's are covered and I'm trying to banish that image from my mind." Maggie said as both Lily and Scorpius straightened their attire.

Lily chuckled at the absurdity of Maggie feeling that she was too innocent to come across Lily and Scorpius together as they were. "Come now, I'm sure you've seen worse. Hell you've done worse."

"That's irrelevant," Maggie sniffed indignantly and glared at them lowering her hand. "Think how you'd feel if you walked in on me and Al?"

Lily blushed, she's seen Maggie and James in a similar situation before now but she wasn't going to tell Maggie that. "Like I wanted to skewer my eyes out." Lily allowed. "I did see Del with Hugo the same night he dad caught them and freaked out."

"Eww." Maggie shuddered.

Now that the shock of being interrupted had faded away Lily's annoyance was growing with the interruption. "So why are you here?" She demanded cattily.

Maggie pulled a face at her which clearly said she wasn't impressed with Lily's tone. "It was either me of Al, he's wondering where you are. The whole house is wondering where you are."

Cursing Lily reluctantly said goodbye to Scorpius who was none too impressed that she was leaving. She quickly finished getting dressed and rushed with Maggie to the Gryffindor common room. Thought of the match re-entered her brain now that she wasn't in proximity of Scorpius. She could hardly believe it. They had won the Quidditch Cup!

Their celebrations went well into the night and the whole house was present. Even Rose and Jess who would normally sit in a corner catching up with some extra reading for an hour or two, chose to clear their schedule and celebrate. Jess showed no disappointment whatsoever that her house team had lost and partied just as much as the rest of them.

Professor Longbottom came into the common room at four in the morning to break up the party. Because of the Marauder's Map, Al was able to give Lily warning and she hid Delia, Jess and Margarita in her dormitory. All the students were forced to go to bed by the dressing gown-clad Professor. There were a few complaints but eventually they all went to bed. Margarita crashed with Maggie in her bed while Lily found herself sharing with both Delia and Jess. It was a tight squeeze but they were comfortable enough to drift off to sleep just as the howls of the wind ceased and the storm finally broke.

After the celebrations their gruelling schedule began again and lasted until the Friday. It was the 26th anniversary of the fall of the Dark Lord and a heavily pregnant Victoire held off celebrating her 25th birthday until the afternoon. During breakfast Kreature appeared beside Lily carrying several large bundles from 'Mistress Lucy.' Lily whispered instructions for Kreature to take the bundles upstairs and asked if he would meet her there before lunch. Since he planned on spending the day in Hogwarts anyway, he was happy to oblige. Lily then gathered Jess, Delia, and the twins together along with Amelia and Rose. She explained that she had a surprise for them and asked if they were free to come with her after lunch. Curious and excited they all agreed.

The weather was a complete opposite to how it had been during the Quidditch final. The sun shone down strongly and the sky was clear blue. After Breakfast the entire student body and the staff sat on chairs along the level lawn. They took up half the chairs whilst the other half was taken up by some of the family members who lost loved ones during the Battle of Hogwarts. All the Weasley clan was there.

It was a sombre affair but appropriately so. The Headmaster made the first speech explaining the importance of the day and was followed by Lily's father. Back from Australia, Harry spoke of the importance of peace and tolerance between magical people and species.

It was during his speech that Lily spotted her Uncle George in the crowd. Today was the only day of the year where he openly expressed a fragment of the pain he feels about the loss of his twin and best friend, Fred. He'd never recovered from such a profound loss no matter how hard he tried to hide it. His wife, Angelina, grasped his hand as silent tears streamed down her face. It was well known within the family that Angelina had loved Fred before George. However, after his death, they had been the perfect person for the other to help put the pieces of their lives together and build a future.

Her grandmother sat behind them next to her husband. She was silently clutching one of Fred's old knitted jumpers. The grandson named after her fallen son sat on the other side with his arm around her.

It was a sharp reminder of the pain Voldemort and his follower inflicted on those who apposed him and Lily couldn't help but remember the Malfoy's involvement that she'd been told. Lily pushed that painful reminder out of her mind but was saddened to think that their time together was coming to an end. In little over a month he would be graduating and leaving Hogwarts for good. A thought that had been bothering her with frequent consistency. Before she allowed herself to become disturbed by her thoughts, she turned her attention back to the service with a heavy heart.

**Hope you enjoyed this chapter. I'd love to hear what you think but no pressure! xx**


	34. C34: Cowardice and Heartbreak

**Chapter 34: Cowardice and Heartbreak**

Once the service ended, Lily spent some time with her family. Most of them were not staying during the afternoon but James, Louis and Lily's parents would attend. Aunt Hannah would also be there along with several others who joined Dumbledore's Army back in the day.

About half eleven Lily made her excuses and headed to find Kreature. She needn't have bothered since he found her once the coast was clear. Together they got everything ready for the afternoon surprise. It didn't take them long and Lily was able to make it to the Great Hall in time for lunch.

Once they had eaten, Lily led Amelia, Rose, Maggie, Jess, Delia and Margarita to a corridor where there was a large tapestry showing an image of Barnabas the Barmy trying to teach ballet to a group of trolls. It was now two o'clock in the afternoon and they had five hours to get ready for the evening.

Rose's eyes widened when she examined the tapestry. "I know where we are! But Lily, the room has been destroyed. My parents _told_ me."

Her words acted as a catalyst.

All of a sudden, everyone except for Jess knew where they were. They had all been told about the room by their parents or another adult who had been at Hogwarts twenty six years ago to the day.

They knew that the Room of Requirement had been used as a sanctuary for those who openly went against the Carrow siblings - tyrants who terrorised students not abiding to the rules set by the Dark Lord. It was also known that a passage had been created between this room and the Hog's Head to evacuate under aged students and allow entrance to those fighting against Voldemort. They also knew that a Death-Eater Vincent Crabbe had destroyed the room using fiendfyre. He had lost his life when he was unable to put out the fire once it had started. Both of Rose's parents had managed to escape along with Lily's father. It was during that time that they had saved the lives of Draco Malfoy and Gregory Goyle.

Lily took a step forward and smiled at Rose, it wasn't often that she knew something her cousin didn't. "Not destroyed completely as you'll see. The room has been working at repairing itself for twenty six years." Lily explained.

Comprehension finally dawned on Jess since she had read about the room while studying for History of Magic. Her jaw dropped and the girls stood back to watch Lily pace in front of the baron stretch of wall opposite the tapestry. Lily did this three times thinking of the place where she left the surprise.

After the third time a doorway appeared. There were char marks damaging the highly polished wooden surface. When Lily opened the door, they all gasped as they stepped inside.

The door opened onto a spacious room illuminated by several torches. From the state of the floor and some of the walls, it was clear that there had been a fire there at some point. However the magic that furnished the room still ran strong. In the near left corner there were a collection of comfortable looking arm chairs, one for each of them. On the coffee table in the centre of them was a selection of drinks and nibbles Kreature had brought up from the kitchens. It was a perfect place to hang out whilst they got ready.

Along the back wall was a row of changing rooms and showers. While the right side of the room looked like a beauty parlour with stations to do their hair, nails and makeup. There was everything they needed to get ready for the Ball.

After the initial excitement wore off, the girls' attention was drawn to the centre of the room. "Lily? What's under the veil?" Jess asked curiously as she eyed the centrepiece.

Lily walked up to what had caught their attention and grasped the fabric in her hands. "When Rose and I went travelling with Aunt Hermione last summer, we found these fabrics which were amazing. I just had to get them but I didn't want Rose to know so I ordered them. Kreature dropped them off during the first term. I designed a few dresses and sent them to Lucy who put them together. I don't want you to feel any pressure about wearing these today. I mean they're yours whether you choose to or not. I just wanted to do something special." Lily explained and tugged.

The girls all gasped for the second time in as many minutes. Under the veil were seven mannequins. On each of them there was a uniquely styled formal dress.

No two dresses were there same, some were floor length whilst others reached a persons knees. One was even shorter. The colours and fabrics also differed dramatically. Some were more simplistic in design than others but the fabric made up for it. In fact, most of the girls could honestly say that they'd never seen fabric like it in their lives since they didn't sell such things in Diagon Alley.

Delia instinctively ran to a dress in the centre of the display. It was a knee length satin gown with a straight-split neckline skimming from one shoulder to the other. It had long fitted sleeves and was a soft pink colour. The pattern of the material meant that she wouldn't be able to wear it when muggles were around. It was covered in exotic looking butterflies fluttering within the fabric in a disorganised fashion.

Lily laughed knowing that she should have expected Delia to pick out which dress was designed for her instantly. Delia was practically a human butterfly, full of energy and sociable. "When I saw this fabric I knew it was for you." Lily told her as Delia hugged her tightly.

"It's the most incredible dress I've ever seen." Delia replied in awe and Lily was instantly relieved that she liked it.

Once Delia let go of her, Lily was able to show the others which dresses were for them, many of them knowing before they were actually told since they had been designed with such thought that it was almost impossible to be mistaken.

Lily showed Rose to her dress last. The strapless, knee length charmeuse dress of a peacock blue hue, was cinched in at the waist with a lace black bow. Below the belt was a black lace overlay to the fabric. If you looked carefully at the lace you could see the images of several male peacocks stitched into the fabric. Like Delia's dress and the tapestries around Hogwarts, the peacocks moved, strutting and preening themselves.

Lily spoke quietly so not to disturb the others who were busy buzzing over their dresses and trying to decide what to wear with them. "I saw you admiring this fabric on holiday and overheard you telling your mum that the only reason you didn't get it was because you didn't know what to do with it. Well I hope you like it."

For a few seconds Rose couldn't say anything and when she did silent tears trickled down her cheeks. "Like it? I absolutely love it. Of course I'll be wearing it tonight! It's so much better than the lilac gown I was going to reuse from last year." She gushed emotionally.

Lily grinned and hugged her cousin. Only Rose would think about reusing a gown for her last ever ball as a student at Hogwarts.

When the excitement died down a little, the girls gathered in the seating area where they discussed: what they needed to finish their outfits; who was going to be in charge of styling hair and applying makeup; whether or not to go back to their common rooms. They Had about an hour or so before they needed to start getting ready since the Ball began at seven.

Unfortunately Rose didn't have a choice. Head Girl duties called her away but she left them with a list of things she needed from her room in order to get ready. This included a potion she'd been brewing to tame her bushy hair.

When Kreature kindly offered to collect anything they needed from their rooms before he left to visit the other House Elves, the girls decided to stay in the Room of Requirement. Together they played around, experimenting with hair and make-up. They'd enjoyed themselves, each contributing to the others overall appearance in some way so that all tomboyish and untidy characteristics had been smoothed away.

Once they had decided what looked best with their outfits, they lounged around drinking pumpkin juice and Butterbeer. With only an hour to go before the ball, the six girls sat in the comfortable armchairs wearing cotton dressing gowns. Their hair and make-up was all sorted as Margarita had handed out potions which they all had drunk. The potions ensured that the makeup would stay exactly how it was until the counter potion was administered.

Their enjoyment was interrupted when a stressed looking Rose came bursting into the room. She'd finally finished with her Head Girl duties which had overrun somewhat. She was all of a fluster. "I only have an hour!" She complained loudly and ran straight to the showers.

Lily looked up to see Rose whiz past her. They'd prepared for this turn of events since it had been apparent some while ago that Rose was going to be strapped for time. "We have all your hair potions and shower gel set out for you already in there. And we've already accessorised your outfit for you. Maggie is going to work on your hair while I do your nails and Margarita does your makeup!"

Relieved, Rose thanked them and stepped into the running shower. Once ready, the girls came together to work on Rose before they donned their own outfits.

Amelia was the first of the girls to be completely ready. Amelia, who never thought of herself as pretty, was surprised when she looked in the mirror. What the dress had done to her figure and the Zabini twins had done to her appearance, she could hardly recognise herself.

Her dress was the shortest of those Lily designed, ending five inches above her knees. They showed off her toned legs to their greatest advantage. Her boyish figure looked somehow more curvaceous with details in the dress giving her the illusion of hips. The high neckline and long slender sleeves covered up her muscular shoulders and arms being an avid quidditch chaser had given her. Accompanied with minimal jewellery and neutral wedges, the dress really drew your attention. In design, the dress was backless and currently a warm orange colour, although the fabric morphed into a different one ever few minutes.

Amelia's brown hair was now sleek, slicked back into a simple up-do so not to detract from the natural bone structure of her face or the backless detail of her dress. Like with Lily, Margarita had chosen neutral tones to accentuate rather than cover up what was there to begin with. The only dramatic addition were thick rimmed, dark lashes which gave her light brown eyes an exotic look.

"That's not me!" She muttered in utter disbelief. "You've cast some spell on this mirror, which is cruel of you I might add. Now remove the spell and show me what I really look like."

The girls burst out laughing. "I knew my artistic skills were above average but I never thought I was that good. Especially since I hardly made any changes." Margarita chuckled at the praise Amelia's disbelief had inadvertently given her.

Amelia's jaw dropped when she realised her reflection was a true likeness of how she looked. The other's playfully teased each other as they resumed getting ready.

Shortly before seven o'clock, the girls left the Room of Requirement and made their way to the Great Hall. They had arranged to meet their dates in the Entrance Hall.

As they passed through the hallway they noticed that all the suits of armour had had a second polish. The poltergeist Peeves was also suspiciously absent. He was either planning something spectacular or the Headmaster had gone to great lengths to keep him out of the way.

They were almost at the staircase leading down to the Great Hall when they heard someone panting. "Where the hell have you been all afternoon?" Albus demanded when he came to a halt in front of them. Lily frowned when she took in his appearance. He was wearing a shirt the same emerald green as his eyes and black trousers and dress robes. His jet black hair was more dishevelled than usual, as if he'd just climbed off a broomstick.

He was looking directly at Lily but he didn't leave her any time to answer. "I've been looking all over for you. I even had to search outside the castle grounds because you weren't showing up on the map!" He exclaimed now brandishing a tattered piece of parchment Lily recognised as the Marauder's Map.

Lily crossed her arms defensively in front of her. "We were just getting ready for the Ball. What was so important that it couldn't wait until the party?"

As she spoke, he took in her appearance and began to frown. "You're not going to the Ball dressed like that are you?"

Lily's frown deepened. Her yellow-gold dress was perfectly suitable for tonight. Made from a soft floaty material which gave off a soft glow, it had strappy sleeves and although it was fitted around her upper body it floated loosely to her knees. It covered all that needed covering and more. There was nothing objectionable about it. Her brother was just overreacting, she told herself. Besides, her dress went perfectly with the gold clips which had tiny little stars twinkling from them and her lily pendant necklace. "Just what is wrong with what I'm wearing?" She demanded tartly.

"Well every bleeding person is going to notice you with you lit up like that. Dammit Lily, I really wanted to relax and have fun tonight, not worry about who's eying up my sister." He told her and raked a nervous hand through his already dishevelled hair.

"I don't know why people will only be noticing me this evening. I'm sure they'll have better things to look at. My friends for example!" Lily finished smugly with a sideline glance at the girls.

For the first time Albus looked at the rest of the group with growing admiration. "Bloody Hell, we are all in for it tonight. Lets hope your dates can handle it." He blurted out just before his eyes locked on Maggie. The sight of her stunned him into silence.

Wearing a fishtail dress with gem encrusted bodice, she looked incredible. The ruby red material complimented her dark skin beautifully. Her silky black hair was twisted into a high bun so that nothing would detract from he high cheekbones and aristocratic features.

Her full lips were painted a vibrant red and demanded to be looked at.

Lily watched her brother's reaction with growing satisfaction. It would be easy to fade into the background with her friends in the room. Lily was hopeful that they'd keep hold of her family member's attention long enough for her to have her dance with Malfoy on the sly.

Out of the corner of her eye, Lily noticed someone else watching her brother's reaction. Margarita was studying Albus with a smirk on her slightly glossed lips. Her dark, thickly lashed eyes identical to her sister's flickered to Lily in amusement. "Maybe you should have made her dress green like mine. That way they would match."

Unlike Maggie, Margarita was dressed in fabric the colour of emeralds. The off-the-shoulder dress with lace overlay of the same colour, clung to her curves as it fell to the floor and trailed behind her. Like her sister however, she wore her House choker, Lily had given her over Christmas.

Lily returned her smirk. "They would have matched if he had had the brains to wear the shirt I gave him this morning." She explained and sighed at her brother for not listening to her. Still, it couldn't be helped now. He also didn't seen to notice her disapproval. He was too enthralled with Maggie and Lily couldn't complain about that.

He was suddenly leading her down the steps and towards the Great Hall. This amused the remaining girls further, they wondered whether he realised that he hadn't told Lily why he was looking for her in the first place.

By the way he was gazing at Maggie, probably not.

With a light chuckle, the girls descended the stairs.

At the bottom a group of Ravenclaw boys congregated. Lily spotted Harrison Davies immediately.

Leaning against the wall dressed in cobalt blue and black, the Head Boy stood glaring at Kenna McLaggen walking arm in arm with Jordan Grayson; a Hufflepuff seventh year. Several paces behind them was Kenna's brother Eoin dressed in navy blue and Lucy dressed in a frilly pink dress. Lily wouldn't have registered him at all except, at that moment, he looked up and his jaw went slack when he looked at her. The time had long since passed when she had wanted to humiliate him for how he had made her feel during the start of the school year. She quickly looked away from him and glanced at Rose.

Her cousin had also noticed that Harrison was glaring at his ex-girlfriend with such intensity that it was surprising she hadn't combusted into flames. Rose sighed heavily before sensing Lily's eyes on her and turned in her direction.

Lily hated to see that Rose was on the verge of giving up. She squeezed her hand encouragingly. "Go get him, he'll come around, just be patient." Lily whispered and Rose smiled and nodded.

Lily watched from a distance as Rose took a few awkward steps forward. Several of the boys' eyes widened in surprise when they recognised her. One even nudged Harrison sharply in the ribs. Rubbing his sore spot he tore his gaze away from Kenna and found Rose. His eyes immediately softened a tender smile lit up his face. He came to meet her and without a fuss being made, the Head Boy and Girl entered the Great Hall.

Lily and the four remaining girls hung back outside the Hall chatting fervently as they waited for their dance partners. Neither Jess or Amelia had any official dates having rejected offers because their heart wasn't in it. Nevertheless, they still waited with the others.

No more than a few minutes later, a group of Slytherins came up the steps from their dungeon dormitory. Malfoy was among them dressed smartly in black. Lily felt her heart skip a beat as it usually did when she saw him but she managed to hide it. Duanne was next to him also dressed in black, a pretty blonde haired Slytherin wearing a frilly mint green dress, clutched his arm. Warrington and Goyle were with them dressed in stony grey looking as troll-like as ever.

Lily was amazed to see that they both had dates, although the girls didn't seem too happy about it and stared at the floor. There was probably some family match-making going on behind the scenes pairing up purebloods with purebloods. Salazar forbid _their _blood gets tainted by association with half-bloods or less. The two couples shuffled into the Great Hall while Malfoy, Duanne and the girl hung back.

Duanne winked at Lily as he waited by the large Oak doors while Malfoy walked their way. With well-trained discipline, Malfoy managed to keep his eyes off Lily, a fact which she didn't care for one bit. He greeted Margarita and there was an uncomfortable silence. Malfoy seemed to ignore that as well as Lily. After paying his 'date' and admiring compliment, he led her towards the Hall. He did however, manage to discreetly slip a piece of parchment into Lily's hand before leaving through the Oak doors.

Lily remained in the Entrance Hall. She found that she didn't have the discipline Malfoy obviously did. Tucking the parchment away into the small golden purse tied to her wrist, and watched him leave. She couldn't help but feel jealous that Malfoy was partnered with Margarita and not her.

She must have been scowling because Amelia picked up on it. Luckily she misinterpreted the target of Lily's displeasure. "Don't worry, I'm sure she knows what she is doing. Although I do agree, she could do a lot better than Malfoy." She assured Lily soothingly and shuddered for dramatic effect.

Lily poured all her effort in smoothing her expression instead of frowning deeper. Her throat was tight after seeing Margarita walk off with _her_ man. All she could do was nod in response.

Before anyone became suspicious over Lily's behaviour, the front doors opened. Everyone turned to look as the visitors entered the castle with Lily's parents and former D.A. members at the front.

The group made their way into the Hall, however Lily's parents paused to speak to her. "You look beautiful my dear. I don't suppose you have a dance free for your dear old dad?" Harry asked after a quick hug.

Lily laughed not at all embarrassed that her class mates would see her dance with her father. With a Dad as cool as hers, no one would tease her and if they did, she would pay any attention to them. "I'm sure I can spare you a song, just one though. I wouldn't want you to neglect mum. I know how much she loves to dance." She smirked and watched them enter the Hall with the majority of the group.

Louis and James whom had just entered the castle stayed with Lily and her friends.

Louis was eyeing Jess with obvious appreciation. Her eye catching dress looked to be made from liquid. As blue as the Adriatic Sea, the halter neck dress pooled to the floor. Louis couldn't resist the temptation to reach out and test the fabric between his fingers, his eyes widening in surprise. This caused Jess to blush becomingly. Words failing, Louis' hand grasped hold of Jess' arm and all but dragged her into the Hall causing Lily and Delia to go 'awww' at the cuteness. Luckily Jess felt there was nothing about his behaviour for her to protest about.

James was currently too distracted to notice his best friend's behaviour. His attention was entirely held by Amelia. He gawped and she beamed at his reaction.

She moved closer to Lily so that she would be the only one who heard her next comments. "You had your brother in mind when you designed this dress. Didn't you Lil?" Amelia asked suspiciously

"Guilty!" Lily admitted as she grinned mischievously.

"Thanks" Amelia muttered whole-heartedly before she strode confidently into the Hall without waiting for anyone to go with her.

Remembering himself now that Amelia was no longer in front of him. James smiled sheepishly at Lily and then rushed after the older Gryffindor girl.

"And then there were two!" Delia sighed now that their friends had gone and only her and Lily stood there waiting for their dates to arrive.

"Typical for them to be late." Lily complained playfully.

"If they keep us waiting much longer, I'm having you as my date instead. Hugo can take Brian instead." Delia teased as a group of Hufflepuffs passed them.

Thankfully the girls weren't kept waiting long. Hugo and Brian turned up having obviously had some trouble with their dress robes. Delia straightened the lapels of Hugo's robes before she flung her arms around him. They spoke quietly among themselves.

Not wanting to hear what the couple were discussing, Lily turned to Brian and offered him a friendly smile. Her appearance had thoroughly flummoxed him. He didn't seem to know what exactly he should do. Whether he should compliment her or just escort her into the Hall. Finding the fact that he'd been stunned into silence adorable, Lily hooped her arm in his and encouraged him to lead the way.

The layout of the Great Hall was pretty much the same as the year before. A musical band sat on a small stage where the teachers' table usually was. The House tables had been removed in favour of smaller ones positioned around the perimeter of the room leaving a large amount of floor space for them to dance on.

Once everyone was in the Hall, Professor Thomas signalled for the signalled for the band to begin. Celebratory music filled the hall, uplifting the spirits of all in earshot. As if carrying out a great duty, Brian led Lily to the dance floor. Lily stifled a chuckle at the look of importance and determination on Brian's face. He soon found a space for them between the mass of couples and began to dance to the music.

Putting aside the fact that her partner wasn't the one she really wanted, Lily was enjoying herself. She danced with her father and Teddy when a pregnant Victoire needed a rest. She also shared a couple of dances with Duanne after he'd ditched his dance partner earlier in the evening. However the majority of dances were partnered with Brian.

Towards the end of the evening, the music slowed into a love ballad. Brian led Lily away from the dance floor. The boundaries of their friendship didn't include enduring a romantic slow dance. He left her at the drinks table before he engaged himself in conversation with Chester about Quidditch. His teenage male brain not really comprehending the meaning of romance, a fact Lily was truly grateful for.

Her gaze slipped over the crowd of couples. Her parents whom had previously been talking to Professor Thomas and her husband, were now heading towards the dance floor.

At the back of the room Maggie was dancing with Albus and Delia was in Hugo's arms as they swayed on the dance floor. Delia's parents were dancing near them, Neville obviously finding it difficult watching his daughter and her boyfriend without feeling some fatherly concern. Hannah on the other hand, couldn't stop smiling at seeing how happy her daughter was.

She also spotted Louis and Jess talking in a quiet corner of the room. It appeared that he was painfully aware of the time he'd spend at Hogwarts as a Quidditch coach. He'd been holding her at a respectable distance all night. As a contrast, James had let propriety fly out of the window. He held Amelia snugly against his body, her head resting against his shoulder and his hands, one on her hip and the other on the bare of her back. Lily felt a wave of happiness knowing that her friends were enjoying themselves.

It was inevitable that Lily would then start searching for Margarita and Scorpius. Margarita was easy to spot but she wasn't with Scorpius like Lily had expected. She was chatting merrily to a group of Ravenclaw boys who appeared to be fighting over who would dance with her next.

Lily chuckled but then someone closer to her caught her attention.

Palms turning clammy, Lily watched Scorpius advance on her position with devilish intent. Surely he wasn't going to engage her in a _slow_ dance of all things. Not with so many witnesses!

He sure was.

Lily felt the colour drain from her face when he finally stood before her with his arm out in invitation.

At first Lily started blankly at his hand and then stared wide-eyed up at him. She didn't dare take part in such an intimate dance with him in front of all her family and the rest of the school, did she?

"You promised that I could choose the dance Lily and I've chosen." He reminded her softly.

Knowing she had indeed given him permission to choose the one dance they'd share this evening, Lily nodded and finally took his hand shakily with hers.

With a deep breath to ward of her light-headedness, she allowed him to direct her to the middle of the dance floor.

His hands clasped her waist as he held her. Trying to relax, Lily raised hers stiffly to his shoulders.

With the aid of his intoxicating scent and he effect his presence had on her, Lily was soon able to forget where they were. She relaxed in his arms and after a while, her gaze lifted to his face.

He was breathtakingly handsome tonight. His platinum hair loose around his face which looked so relaxed as they swayed to the music. A slight smile tugged at the corner of his mouth.

Lily should have known her serenity wouldn't last long as she lost herself in his silver orbs.

He gazed amorously at her with such increasing intensity it made her a little uncomfortable. She had to look away for fear that she'd stop breathing and faint.

That turned out to be a mistake. Without Scorpius' dazzling eyes to captivate her, she was able to see what was going on around her. Not many people had noticed them dancing together, but those who did where exactly who she'd wanted to hide from.

Both James and Albus' attention were no longer monopolised by their dance partners. As if they had some anti-Malfoy radar, they were both looking over at Lily.

She regretted looking immediately. The emotions that radiated from her brothers had her freezing on the spot.

Horror. Rage. Disappointment.

She took a step backwards but Scorpius wasn't giving her up that easily. "I can't do this. Let me go." She gushed in a panic stricken tone as she turned her gaze to the blonde.

Another mistake.

She saw the hurt in his eyes before his old Malfoy mask appeared, hiding his emotions from her. This made her more uncomfortable than his hurt.

He let go of her and was the one to take a step back. Studying her intently, he picked up on all of her fears. She disliked herself for having them and letting him see. However it was beyond her control.

Suddenly, as if all the fight had left him. _He walked away from her._

Lily's hand twitched to reach out for him but under the gaze of others, she let her hand drop to her side. She felt numb, unable to process the mass of emotions whirling inside her, overwhelming her.

Through the haze Lily saw her brothers make a beeline for her position.

She panicked and hurried in the opposite direction.

Thinking fresh air would benefit her greatly, Lily fled the dance floor loosing her brothers in the crowd. Trying to avoid drawing people's attention any further, she slipped out of the Great Hall and then out of the Castle doors.

She was met by the peaceful, cool night air and it was a welcome relief after the oppressive atmosphere that encroached on her moments ago.

She made her way down the castle steps, her dress giving off all the light she needed to see where she was going. The grounds were almost as beautiful as they had been at Christmas. Fairies carrying twinkling lights were scattered here and there, fluttering around trees and carved wooden benches. The benches were occupied by either couples or small groups of friends.

Kicking off her shoes and hooking them in her fingers, Lily deviated from the winding path and headed across the lawn. Couples stood concealed in the topiary but she ignored them. She concentrated only on sensory stimulus. The way her feet felt against the soft grass; the way the soft breeze made her dress whirl against her legs. She could still pick up the floral scent wafting from the rose gardens and could hear the gentle trickling of water coming from a fountain. Out here, surrounded by nature, she could almost forget troubles.

Almost.

Lily knew she'd have to make an appearance or they'd all come searching for her. With a heavy sigh, she headed back to the castle.

Wandering around the castle wall, Lily heard the sounds of stones being kicked across the flags. Squinting into the darkness, Lily could make out a shadowy figure standing alone. If they hadn't seemed so familiar, she probably wouldn't have detoured from her path. However, the fact remained- the individual stood in the shadows drew her attention.

As she approached, the soft glow of her dress shone light onto the figure. "Malfoy?" She questioned nervously when it became apparent that it was Scorpius Malfoy stood there, staring blankly at nothing in particular.

His back tensed visibly and Lily halted in her advance. After what had gone on inside, confronting him now wasn't the best idea she'd ever had. However she had no other option now with him turning to face her.

"What do you want?" He asked stiffly.

She was hurt by his tone but she couldn't let it bother her, not when she knew what she now had to do. "We need to talk."

He regarded her for a moment and looked ready to dismiss her. Instead he looked away over her shoulder and spoke. "I think what happened in the hall was a pretty clear indicator as to where we're going to go from this. I was deluding myself by believing that you weren't ashamed of us."

"I'm not-" Lily began, appalled by the accusation.

He cut her off in a sharp tone that had her wincing mentally. "Don't kid yourself Lily, I saw your face when your brothers saw us together. Can you honestly say that they're not going to get in the way of us?"

An element of truth echoed in the back of her mind. Was she ashamed of them being together? She didn't think so. She was not ashamed of the person he was, but then the person people thought he was, was an entirely different matter. Maybe she was ashamed of the way he had portrayed himself to others even if it was to protect himself.

Unwilling to let herself dwell on the realisation, she answered his question. "That's not fair, they're my brothers." She told him, only to realise much later that her words were unfair on him.

His eyes flickered to hers. "And I'm your boyfriend…was your boyfriend" He corrected emotionlessly. When she didn't respond, he added with a note of finality. "Well I guess that answers that."

Lily supposed her silence did in fact voice her response. If she was unable to fight for their relationship then they probably shouldn't be together. Lily had no idea how she felt about that.

"You've made the wrong decision." He told her in an almost whisper.

Lily's eyes lowered to the floor. She couldn't confirm or refute his statement under her present emotional numbness. "Maybe." She whispered weakly. It was as if it wasn't her speaking the words, she was so detached.

His next words were cruel, even for a Slytherin. "Nobody will love you the way I do, or will ever make you feel the way I do. You know that right?"

Lily glared at him. It was the first time he'd said that he actually loved her and he did so only to throw it in her face. Anger broke through her shock. She wanted to hit him but with the anger came another realisation. She loved him as well only it was not enough, at least not at this time. This only made her angrier; with him and now with herself for not realising it sooner. "This is hard enough without you making it difficult." She snapped.

"Difficult?" He growled, emotion seeping into his tone for the first time since he spoke to her in the Great Hall. "I haven't even started to make this difficult!" He exclaimed, striding towards her.

"Don't!" She managed to gasp in a fruitless attempt to stop him once she realised what he was going to do.

He cupped her face in his hands so that she couldn't turn away and his lips came crushing down to hers. His kiss began stirring up her emotions despite the fact that they were unwelcome.

His kiss was rough and punishing. Lily was reluctant to give up the opportunity to kiss him one last time, but she disliked that he was trying to teach her a lesson. He was making her want him more than ever, to let her know exactly how excited he could make her feel. Well two could play at that game! There was no way she was going to let him walk away from this _lesson_ unscathed.

As she made her decision to play out her next actions, she promised herself that she would stay in control. She wouldn't let the kiss get to her and muddle her thoughts.

Without hesitation she slid her hands up his arms and hooked them behind his neck. He didn't seem to notice at first but when she forced the space between them to almost disappear, he groaned and his hands slid from her cheeks and delved into her hair. They were persistent in their intent, releasing the fiery tendrils from her elegant up-do. Lily didn't think to stop Scorpius as his fingers ran through the length of her hair and settled on her hips, holding her close.

She held their kiss as she edged them backwards so her back rested against the chilled surface of the stone castle wall. She prolonged and furthered their embrace by standing on the tip of her toes. This caused his hands to lower and cup the back of her upper thighs.

The action acted as a catalyst.

In an instant he was lifting her off the ground and her dress allowed her to wrap her slender legs around his waist. She was unaware of what happened next and at that point she did what she swore she wouldn't do. She lost herself in the kiss.

A stretch of time later, the sound of pebbles rolling across the stone flags drew her attention. She was finally able to defog her mind and recall her intentions. She cursed herself mentally for letting him get the better of her, but she would be the one to end this.

Slowly and intentionally, she lowered her hand from his hair and unwrapped her legs from around waist. Her feet met the ground and her back rested against the wall for support. Her hand had now trailed to his chest and she pushed firmly. The action forced him to take a step backwards and their lips parted. At first their breathing was ragged as they fought for some control.

Her throat tightened as she looked up at his face, unable to make out as much detail in the darkness as she would have liked. One thing she did see as he took another step away from her, was that he had changed once more. His expression was stoic as he retreated in the near darkness. The warmth that burned behind his eyes when he usually looked upon her was painfully absent.

The ache in her chest worsened so that it was barely tolerable. The lump in her throat swelling, making conversation impossible. She was finally able to feel and she hated it, preferring the numbness to the pain.

It was only her own stubbornness and pride that kept her from crumpling to the floor and sobbing her heart out. She was crying though. Those treacherous tears betraying her, she was only glad they were silent. She took solace in the fact that it was probably too dark to pick up on the dampness of her cheeks.

Despite this, part of her wanted to beg him not to go, to tell him that she'd do anything to stay with him. However that part was growing weaker with each passing moment. She wouldn't beg or let him know just how much pain she was in. Not when he gazed at her in such an unfeeling manner. She was hurting him as much as she was hurting herself, and that's why he was behaving this way. She knew it but she still refused to do anything that would ease their pain in an instant.

The memory of the looks on her brother's faces stopped her. Yes she'd seen hatred and distrust of the Slytherin in them, but there was also a sadness and maybe some disappointment too. The horror had also been blatantly clear when the suspicion that maybe there was some romantic going on between the two flashed through their minds, before dismissing the thought as ridiculous. It had terrified her as her brothers had never looked at her in that way before.

She wondered if she would see disappointment in Rose's eyes now that she was ignoring her advice. But she couldn't ignore everyone's feelings and just think about her and Scorpius. She loved her family too much and she _couldn't not _think about her brothers after what had happened in the Great Hall.

He must have thought the same, the same time she did. He stared at her for only a moment longer before he turned away and slid into the darkness. He didn't utter another word to her and Lily was left to mull over what had just transpired between them. Deep down she knew that he would recover from this, they both would. However the fact offered her little comfort right then.

Only when she heard the castle doors close behind Scorpius, did Lily truly give in to the true extent of the agony she was feeling. Her knees buckled beneath her and she sank to the floor, her back scraping against the harsh stone of the castle wall. She paid no mind to the abrasions or the blood drawn. The only thing she could concentrate on right then was the tearing sensation in her chest.

The tears started more violently, silent at first but getting louder. It soon became painful to breathe as her heart-wrenching sobs filled the night air. She didn't hear the person approach some time later to sit beside her. Awareness only occurred when he cursed and wrapped his arms around her, pulling her against his chest. These were not the arms she wanted to offer her comfort and for a moment her cries grew louder. He didn't pull away, instead he lifted her carefully into his lap. That way she was able to sob into his shoulder as his arms tightened around her. He whispered words of comfort and together they sat as they waited out her tears.

**Please don't hate me and I hope you understand why I had them break up. They'll be back together again in a few chapters. She just needs to grow up a bit and not feel the need to keep any relationship of hers secret.**


	35. C35: Burned

**Thank you everyone for your support and understanding. Here's another chapter as a reward.**

**Chapter 35 Burned.**

With considerable effort Lily managed to take some control over her tears. She was still hurting but had invited back some of the numbness to mute it. She understood that it was unrealistic for her to sit there sobbing her heart out all night. She was already causing the man whom was trying to sooth her by rocking her gently, enough distress over her state of mind.

She worked on steadying her breathing so that she'd be able to talk without difficulty. It took a considerable amount of effort, but she managed it. Shifting herself out of his embrace, Lily lifted her head to face her comforter.

His familiar brown eyes gazed at her with concern. They made her feel guilty that he'd happened to find her in such state. She was about to apologise when a frightening thought chilled her. Just how long had he been watching her before he had made his presence known to her?

Had he seen her confrontation with Scorpius?

She quickly searched his face through wide eyes, her relief growing when she spotted no trace of him knowing that secret in his expression.

With her relief came a wave of guilt.

If he had caught her, the cat would really be out of the bag, so to speak. If he'd discovered them together, then she wouldn't have to worry about his reaction, because she would _know_ it. Maybe then she could go and find Scorpius and try to fix things.

No! She had to stop thinking like that. She couldn't fix things between them. Saying sorry wouldn't be enough. She needed to change her whole attitude towards their relationship. It wasn't enough to say, 'Everyone will know about us now so we might as well get back together.'

Lily gathered her defences around her quickly. She didn't want to think about that particular Slytherin any more tonight.

Taking a deep breath, she scrambled to her feet, her companion doing the same.

"Do you want to talk about it?" He asked, blocking her path so that she couldn't run away from him just yet. His hand coming to rest on her shoulder.

She couldn't bear the contact right then but she didn't pull away either. It would make him suspicious and hurt his feelings, she was done doing that for tonight. Instead she raised hers to cover his. "There's not really much to talk about. It's just normal school stuff."

He didn't seem convinced which didn't surprise her. Her explanation was pretty feeble after all.

"What about Malfoy?" He asked trying to keep his tone nonchalant although Lily could see how difficult that was for him.

Her panic grew at the mention of the name and she once again wondered how much he'd seen. "Malfoy?" She asked, directing all her efforts to not letting her voice break.

He stared at her long and hard as he raked his hand through his untidy black hair. "You were dancing with him in there?"

Lily quickly thought up an excuse which was more or less what she'd planned on telling people if they spotted the two of them together. It was also a partial truth so she didn't feel guilty by withholding some of the information. "We just wanted to make the Headmaster think that his detentions have been working. We hoped he'd let us off doing them for the rest of term. It's been very difficult trying to juggle detentions, class, Quidditch, homework, OWL revision and then trying to have a life on top of that. At least now the Quidditch season is over."

"So you and Malfoy aren't-" He asked, unable to finish his sentence.

"No, Malfoy and I are nothing to each other." She replied as assuring as she could and stepped away from him, adding 'not anymore' at the end of her sentence for only her own comfort.

She'd had enough of being around people. She felt emotionally drained and needed to rest. "Look I'm going to go back inside. I don't really feel like joining the party just now so I'll head back to the common room."

Her brother didn't seem too thrilled about the idea of leaving her alone. "Do you want me to come with you? We can just chill out, I promise I wont ask you about what's gone on."

Although she appreciated the offer she couldn't accept. She needed some time alone. "No James, you go back to Amelia, I'm sure she'll be wanting to spend as much time with you as possible since you're not going to be here for the rest of the term."

"If you're sure?" He asked studying her expression trying to read her rather than her words.

Lily bent down and scooped up her shoes which she'd dropped to the floor at some point earlier. There were also the odd clip which had fallen out of her hair. She gathered them and shoved them in her bag. Once she had all of her belongings she looked at his resolvedly. "I am sure. Now go, I'll be fine." She told him and he slowly nodded.

She would later wish that she'd let her brother walk her back, but she didn't know that yet.

James walked with her as she headed back into the castle. Lily was conscious of the fact that her hair looked a mess and that there was dirt on her feet and legs. At least her makeup would be fine. She could her head up high and no one other than he brother would be aware of the fact that she'd been crying because the puffiness of her eyes were conveniently disguised.

They said goodbye to each other at the bottom of the Grand Staircase. James turning to join the celebration and Lily ascending the stairs with the intention of going to bed.

* * *

The dimly lit corridors were empty and silent, the castle's occupants currently occupying the Hall below or the gardens. Even if there had been people around, it was unlikely that Lily would have noticed them. She didn't even register where she was going, she was acting on autopilot.

So wrapped up in her own thoughts nothing else filtered in until she had come to a stop. Looking up she realised that it was not the Portrait of the Fat Lady in front of her, but the statue of Boris the Bewildered. Knowing that the statue of the lost looking wizard with he gloves on the wrong hands, meant that she was at the entrance of the Prefects bathroom and not her common room, Lily considered turning around.

However, once the idea of a nice relaxing bath entered her mind, it seemed much more appealing than going back to her dormitory. She needed to wash away the troubles of today so that she could start anew tomorrow, her body had known it even if she hadn't consciously realised it.

Making up her mind that the Prefect's bathroom was a good place for her relax and be alone, Lily muttered the password 'lemon-fresh' that the privilege of being Quidditch Captain had given her.

The door nearest the statue creaked open and Lily stepped inside. The sight of the room never ceased to amaze her. Lit by a magnificent candle-filled chandelier, the bathroom was stunning with all it's white marble splendour.

Lily walked over to the large sunken pool and let her shoes and bag clatter to the ground. She then began her task of turning on each of the one hundred jewel-encrusted, golden taps. As she did, the mermaid set in her portrait, watched Lily with mild interest as she basked on a rock.

Ignoring the eyes on her, Lily watched as bubbles of every type imaginable covered the surface of the water. Turning off the taps when the surface was covered with bubbles of different colours, scents, size and density, she then undressed.

Submerging herself in the warm water, it came as a welcome relief. Although her pain wasn't physical, the properties of the scents around her had a calming effect. She felt safe there alone but knew she'd have to head to her dormitory at some point, Maggie would be worried. She may even be waiting for her there now since she'd witnessed Albus' behaviour earlier and Lily's flight.

Swimming to the edge of the pool, Lily reached for the potion vial in her bag so that her makeup would wash away. Unfortunately she couldn't get to it from the pool so she climbed out. She didn't reach for a towel just then, her long hair clung to her skin suiting her modesty despite the fact she was alone. She didn't make a move to dry herself either, happily letting the water drip off and pool at her feet.

Crouching down she retrieved her bag and fumbled through it. Lily froze when she found the piece of parchment Scorpius had given her earlier. She knew that she was just tormenting herself by unfolding it, especially when everything was so raw. Nevertheless, she found herself holding the note towards the light and reading it.

Written in Scorpius' tidy scrawl, were the words to a conjuring spell. Lily read the words aloud before she managed to stop herself. Cursing herself for being such a glutton for punishment, Lily watched as an everlasting lily similar to those on her bedside table, materialised in front of her eyes. Eyes tearing up, she turned over the silver tag which was tied to the stem with green ribbon.

Three little words were written there and the effect of them broke through her defences. The tag simply read _'I Love You.' _Her anguish returned at full force and soon salty tears were mixing with the puddle of water on the marble surface beneath her. She felt like such a horrible cowardly person as she crumbled to the floor.

Lily didn't know how much time had passed. Her tears had tried but her skin was still damn. A noise behind her made Lily suddenly aware that she wasn't alone. She grabbed a fluffy white towel which she quickly wrapped it around herself, before turning to face the intruder.

Leaning against the marble wall as calmly as he liked, was Eoin MacLaggen.

"What the hell are you doing here?" Lily demanded. "Can't you tell this room is occupied."

Acting as if she hadn't just raised her voice at him, he held up his hands calmly. "Hey, it's not my fault you didn't hear me come in. I did announce myself but since you didn't say anything I thought it was ok for me to wait."

Lily knew he was lying. He hadn't made his presence known, he'd been spying on her. "Well I know now and you shouldn't have come in in the first place." Lily bit back at him as she made sure her towel was fastened tightly around her.

His gaze turned predatory as he gave her the once over making Lily feel violated. "That's not being very friendly Lily. And to think, I only came to ask you how you are. You don't look ok after all. What's got you all upset?" His tone was sincere but Lily had no intention of talking to him. He was making her a little uncomfortable but she didn't want him to know it.

"I'm not going to tell you anything. Please leave so that I can get dressed." She commanded, keeping her tone steady and calm.

A small sad smile graced his face. "There was a time where you told me everything." He mentioned with a trace of nostalgia in his voice but still he remained in the room.

Getting annoyed with him now, Lily crossed her arms. "That moment passed when I saw the light and discovered what a jerk you are. I can't believe I ever thought you were worth the time of day." She told him, her tone like liquid steel.

He didn't seem phased by her comment. Lily's fists clenched, the arrogant son-of-a- he wasn't listening to any of her objections. It was clear that he thought she was still hung up on him. His next words confirmed it. "No I think the moment never really passed. You are just mad that I chose Lucy over you."

She was about to lay into him with a vicious tongue but his next words stunned her into silence. "Is that what your little boyfriend has done? I saw him all over that Amy Pierce just moments ago. What is it about you and loosing your men to Hufflepuffs?"

Lily tensed. Did he know about her and Scorpius and was he really in the arms of someone else so soon after their break up. The thought of him with someone else made her sick. "What are you talking about? I don't have a boyfriend." She spoke in a small voice which had his eyebrows lifting towards his hairline.

"So there is nothing going on between you and Finnegan?" He asked obviously pleased with himself for finding out that bit of information. He started walking towards her.

Wishing now that she had told him that she was in a relationship, Lily started edging towards her wand. "No, not that it's any of your business. Brian and I are just friends. He can snog whomever he wishes. But that's not to say I want you. Now please leave, Lucy will be mad if she finds out that you here?"

She slipped on the wet surface in an attempt to get away from him. He however had no problems walking across the wet marble. He got to her before she could reached her wand or plant her fist in her face.

Despite her urge to cause him harm, his actions were only to steady her and stop her from falling. "Lucy wont find out." He told her, pinning her arms to her side. "So you haven't got a boyfriend then? That's good because I was thinking that maybe I had made a mistake. Maybe we should give it another go?"

Lily tried to wriggle free from his hold. Where were her brothers when she needed them. "Ergh, you are so full of yourself. What will it take for you to take a hint? I'm not interested." She assured him firmly but once again he wasn't really taking her protests seriously.

"You're not? I could put a smile on your face that's for sure. How about it? For old times sake."

He was really pissing her off now. "Get your hands off me." She warned, her anger reaching a level it never had before.

Again he didn't heed her warning. "I think not, I like them where they are."

"You arrogant git." She growled and she felt her anger reach burning point.

* * *

Lily probably should have cast a body binding curse on him when she had the chance, instead of getting the hell out of there. She was running through the corridors as fast as she could, in the opposite direction of his screams.

She supposed she could have played things differently, by maybe taking advantage of his arrogance and fluffing his ego a bit. That way she could have played along as if she really was interested in rekindling their relationship. She could have played for time to get her wand, then she bound him up or something. Maybe humiliating him by doing so in only his boxers. It would have been amusing to leave him outside the Great Hall like that.

However she was no longer out for revenge of him humiliating her at the beginning of the school year, so she hadn't done that. She'd just wanted to get out of there as fast as she could and now she was running through Hogwarts without her damn wand.

She was wet through wearing only a towel and the jerk was gaining on her, if the volume of his screams were anything to go by. She was still uncertain how she'd managed to get him off her. One minute he'd got her so furious she could hardly think, the next minute her arms were up in flames, him cradling his hands and her with large red blisters on her arms. Luckily adrenaline had her not feeling the pain just now.

As Lily slipped around a corner she realised that she'd found her way back to the Entrance Hall. A crowd now gathered there having been attracted by MacLaggen's screams. Several witches and wizards had their wands out ready. There expressions puzzled when the saw Lily dripping wet in only a towel.

She skidded to a halt. Teddy was the first to reach her. He pulled her behind his back after seeing the state she was in. Knowing that she was safe now, Lily rested her forehead against his back and wrapped her arms around his waist for her comfort as much as his. Teddy had his wand pointed at MacLaggen who had froze suddenly aware of the delicate position he was in. He couldn't exactly continue yelling 'the bitch burnt my hands' like he had been doing. Not with her family around.

Lily tilted her head so that she could see the Gryffindor turning as white as Nearly Headless Nick as the staff started advancing on him for his own protection as well as Lily's. Her family was unpredictable when it came to the safety of their loved ones and Lily knew that Teddy was finding it difficult holding back the curses he wanted to send the student's way.

Lily thanked him quietly and he began turning to check on her as MacLaggen was being escorted to the Hospital Wing. By chance, Lily happened to glance at the crowd. Her parents were visibly concerned about her but they had their hands full trying to restrain her brothers from going after MacLaggen. Her friends were fighting their way through the crowd to try and get to her and Malfoy stood there looking as unreadable as ever.

Everything suddenly hit her at once. She was emotionally drained from tonight's events and now physically drained from the unintentional magic and all the running. She managed to gasp Teddy's name as the adrenaline wore off and felt the true extent of her self-inflicted injuries. She then did something she never thought she would do.

She Fainted.

* * *

Through the darkness Lily was vaguely aware that she was being taken to the Hospital Wing. Teddy was carrying her himself instead of magicking a stretcher to do the job for him. She could feel his arms around her and her head resting on his shoulder. He was muttering all the things he'd like to do MacLaggen if only he wasn't a Hogwarts Teacher. Her Parents were also near by, she could hear them talking while James and Albus were voicing their annoyance that they'd been stopped from laying into the git. Victoire was also trying to keep up with their strides despite her pregnancy slowing her down.

_Lily wished that she could reassure them all that she was fine, only she couldn't move. It was as if all her energy had been drained and her body had shut down. There was no wonder this had happened with all that she'd been through tonight and all the secrets she'd been holding in lately. She couldn't blame MacLaggen for her state. She wanted to tell her family that he hadn't hurt her, only pissed her off because he wouldn't listen. She knew deep down that she would have eventually gotten through to him and he would have left her alone if it wasn't for her temper. Unfortunately she couldn't, so she gave herself into the darkness once again._

* * *

There was a huge commotion going on within the Hospital Wing. Lily could make out the voices of her family and closest friends. She mustn't have been out long from the sounds of it. Only long enough to summon the rest of the Weasley clan back to Hogwarts.

_Lily mentally winced when she heard the sounds of her grandmother sobbing. Lily's grandfather and Uncles were trying to comfort her although she could tell that they were all worried._

_They didn't need this today of all days, not on the anniversary where they'd lost so many, not on the day of Victoire's birthday. Lily suddenly felt really selfish as she tried to snap out of it. _

_The more she tried the more drained she felt. Exhaustion made her give up and Lily could only lie there and listen._

"_Keep that boy out of my sight." Her father growled angrily._

_There was a dragging sound. "Bring him through to my office." Madam Bones instructed. "Victoire will you be ok for a few moments?"_

_Lily didn't hear her cousin's response as her mother's words drew her attention. _

"_Come on Princess wake up?" She urged as she grabbed on of Lily's hands between hers. Lily only grew more frustrated that she couldn't do what her mother asked. She would have cried if there had been any tears left for her to weep._

"_Why is she so still? What happened to her arms?" One of her Aunts asked. Lily's attention was suddenly drawn to her arms. They were no longer in pain and there was a thick cooling balm covering the burns. Lily recognised the peculiar scent because her Uncle Charlie had to use it often when working with dragons._

"_I'll go question the boy." Uncle Ron announced. He wasn't known for being the most together of people but Lily knew that her father would loose it if he was the one to get answers from MacLaggen._

_Lily listened to her family talk amongst themselves while they waited for Ron to get back. She managed to pick out the voices of each of her cousins as well as her five Uncles and four Aunts. She also realised that Jess, Amelia, Del and the twins where there among her family. It was nice to have them all together despite the circumstances._

_Ron re-entered the Wing some time later. "I haven't seen anything like this before." He explained to the group. "According to the boy she didn't have a hold of her wand. Her arms started to heat up an then they were on fire." He said incredulously. "Any theories Harry?"_

_There was a moment of stillness where they all waited for a response. "In my first year of Hogwarts I had an altercation with Quirrell who was letting Voldemort share his body. When he touched me he burned but I was left unharmed."_

_Having been told about the incident, James was the first to speak after their father. "MacLaggen isn't evil Dad, just an arrogant prick."_

"_Don't defend him" Harry snapped at his son._

_James seemed to have problems keeping his voice steady. "I'm not. Believe me, if I had anything to do with it he would be the one in a Hospital bed. I'm just saying that that explanation doesn't apply in this case."_

_An argument started where everyone began talking over each other. It was Fleur who managed to get them to settle down._

"_Mr Potter?" Lily heard Maggie say in a small voice once everyone was quiet. She continued when she had their attention. "Lily probably did this. If she was angry, I think she caused her skin to burn so that Eoin would let go of her." Maggie explained since it was obvious by their injuries that MacLaggen had been holding Lily's arms. Lily was impressed for her friend hitting the nail on the head._

"_That's impossible, she didn't have a wand." Hermione huffed. She understood that cases of unintentional magic was possible but if her Aunt was adamant that it was an impossibility to set things on fire without a wand, Lily understood that what she'd done was really rare. It didn't make her feel at all special though. It was a damn inconvenience._

_Maggie however, stuck to her opinion. "I'm sorry Mrs Weasley but you're wrong. Lily sets things on fire when she's angry without a wand all the time. She only has to concentrate on an object long enough for it to go up in flames." She explained in a pleasant tone without getting annoyed that Hermione had accused her of being wrong. Accusations like that didn't go down well with the Zabini pride._

"_She's right Mum," Both Rose and Hugo shot in and then Hugo continued with an explanation. "Lily hasn't done it in a while but I've seen her set goblets of pumpkin juice up in flames before now."_

_There was a long pause as if the were all deliberating over the news. "I'll head to the Library to check it out." Hermione told them, breaking the silence. Both Rose and Hugo agreed to go as well. Then more people volunteered since the more people researching meant that they'd hopefully get an answer quicker. _

_Several people filtered out of the Hospital Wing and headed down to the library whilst others stayed. Lily felt the exhaustion taking over and she gave in to the darkness._

* * *

Lily assumed it was sometime the next day, when she heard the partial conversation between Victoire, Teddy and somebody else. She could tell that the rest of her family had left.

"_Try not to go around hitting any more walls and please don't let anyone try to fix you other than either Madam Bones or I. You wouldn't want me to get the Skelegro out again." Victoire was saying, scalding another patient. Lily couldn't hear the person's reply but they managed to have both Victoire and Teddy chuckling._

_Another question was asked which had her cousin pausing briefly before answering. "What she's done is very rare, neither Madame Bones or myself had heard of a case like this before. However after a little research we found that there are documented cases of this type of thing occurring in the past. We've treated her injuries and now we just have to wait out her recovery. It appears to take anywhere between seven to twenty days for the body to regain the energy lost. All we can do is wait for her to heal herself since there is nothing more we can do." Lily listened with growing trepidation. At best she was going to be stuck here like this for a week. She didn't like that idea for a moment. She would continue to try and make her recovery as swift as possible._

_The patient must have offered their reassurances that they believed Lily was going to be ok because Victoire was saying her thanks and instructing them to go back to their common room. They must have disagreed, wanting to talk to Teddy, since he was the next voice Lily heard._

"_Don't worry about it. We know she's over the worst of it now. You shouldn't feel bad about asking me for a reference. If you are sure that's the career path you want to go down, you better knuckle down and study, they only accept the best grades."_

_The NEWT student soon left and Lily heard Teddy and Victoire settle down near her bed. It was comforting knowing that they were near by but she didn't want to pry in their private conversations. It was easy for her to shut out the voices and concentrate on getting more rest.._

* * *

Another voice stood out from the darkness some time later. Lily guessed it was Monday afternoon.

"_Lily it's Jess. Sorry I feel a bit silly talking to you like this. My parents told me that you can probably hear me. Apparently Grandpa Fox was in a temporary coma before I was born and he was adamant that he could hear people chatting away. I know this isn't the same thing but just in case, I'm going to give it a try. With our OWLs swiftly approaching, you're missing some important facts. I've duplicated my notes so that you have them when you wake up. I've also brought the main bits we learnt today and I'll come every day to keep you up to date. Right well, lets start with Charms…" Jess rattled away with the low-down of what Lily had missed in class that day. Lily listened attentively out of boredom._

_Once she'd finished she added "I'll start bringing the others with me tomorrow, it'll be good for us to work together. Lily felt someone kiss her forehead before everything went still once more._

* * *

Lily's silence was interrupted by the scrambling of chairs. "You're missing out on all the gossip so we thought we'd come and update you." The voice Lily recognised as belonging to Amelia began.

"_We'll have to be brief though since we have NEWT revision to do." Rose added firmly. Lily would have laughed if she was capable of doing so. She did however feel a little guilty that her being in this state was distracting her cousin from her studies._

_Lily heard a whacking noise as if one of the girls had hit the other over the head with a piece of parchment. "Shhh, Lily doesn't need to know that." Amelia complained. _

_Lily guessed that explained who did the whacking._

"_It's hard seeing her like this." Rose explained as she complained about being manhandled._

_She got no sympathy from Amelia. "Well you'll just have to suck it up Rose until she decides it's time to wake up." Lily lay there wishing it was that simple. She had long since decided it was time to wake up._

"_Amelia's officially dating your brother! They're both besotted." Rose shot in to change the subject. "You have to keep it a secret though, at least until she graduates."_

"_Hey I wanted to tell her that." Amelia whined. "Fine! Rose snogged Harrison at the Ball. He asked her out but she said she wanted to take things slow, she didn't want to be the rebound girl. Can you believe that Lily? Our Rose really does like making obstacles for herself."_

"_I'm sure Lily doesn't want the image of Harrison and I stuck in her head." Rose complained._

"_Oh and you think she'd prefer the image of me a James there? I recon that's worse."_

_Lily wished she didn't have those mental images flowing through her mind. She heard Rose sigh 'You're probably right. Lets talk about something else.' And couldn't agree more. _

_There was a short pause before Amelia spoke again. "Madame Swats had a mini melt down the other day." She began cheerfully and Lily couldn't help but be interest. Madame Swats was a bat in her opinion. "She caught some Slytherin third years ripping pages out of a book and went ballistic." Amelia laughed at the memory while Rose was silent. She probably agreed with the librarian's reaction. "It's a pity you missed it, it was very funny. She chased the Slytherins half way around the castle before they ran into the Headmaster and he sorted it all out."_

"_Oh and you don't need to worry about having to restore the books yourself. " Amelia continued. "The Headmaster has let you off detentions from now on so that you can concentrated on school work when you are better. That also means that you wont have to spend any more time with the insufferable Malfoy!" Amelia explained and Lily acknowledged that the fact that she wouldn't be forced to spend time with Malfoy any time soon, made regaining use of her body even more appealing._

_There was a loud creaking noise, like the doors being flung open forcefully. It was followed by the clattering of footsteps. "Mind if we join you?" Someone asked. Lily recognised the voice as belonging to Hugo._

"_Not all we were just catching her up with all the gossip." Rose explained to her brother._

"_Do you think she can hear us" Delia asked them as Lily felt someone, probably Delia, squeeze her hand. Lily didn't hear an answer so she assumed Delia had got her reply by someone gesturing with either a nod or shake of the head._

"_We brought you flowers and sweets although it doesn't look like you need them." Lily was surprised to hear Brian say._

_She was even more surprised when Chester added. "It looks like the whole school has brought you stuff hoping that you'll get better soon." _

_Lily thought it was nice of them all to visit but was surprised that by people sending her gifts. It wasn't as if she'd done anything heroic. She didn't deserve their well wishes._

"_Not just the School, this package is from the Minister of Magic" Brian gasped importantly. Lily wasn't surprised by that. Kingsley Shacklebolt was a close family friend after all. He always sent her gifts for her family for birthdays, Christmas and whenever any of them was ill._

_Lily took a lot of comfort listening to her visitors. Although they weren't talking to her directly, it was interesting listening to them chat amongst themselves. Lily was really disappointed when Victoire had them leaving so that Lily could rest more. It wasn't as if she was exerting herself, lying paralysed as she was._

* * *

Lily was surprised by the next voice she made out. It belonged to Kenna MacLaggen. Lily could picture her now, sitting by her bedside, wringing her hands, uncertain of what to say. Lily felt for her, Kenna had played no part in this, there was no need for her to feel bad about what had transpired. "My brother's an arse." She began and Lily couldn't agree more.

"_I guess you don't really need me to tell you that. I'm really sorry about what he tried to do. He's been suspended and my parents' are furious. They think it would be better if he finishes his studies at home. He'll not be here to bother you again…" Lily supposed that was good news, not that it really bothered her whether he stayed at Hogwarts or not. It was probably more for his safety than hers that he didn't come back. She also couldn't help but feel he didn't deserve such treatment. The whole thing had been blown out of proportion. She supposed she should try and put things straight as soon as she was able to._

"_Please wake up…" Kenna begged. _

_Unable to move a muscle or offer a word of comfort, Lily grew frustrated and blocked out everything once more._

* * *

Her friends and family had come to visit her every day as far as Lily could tell. "You wont believe the change that has gone on within Hogwarts over the past few days Lily." One of the twins said.

"_Everyone has been ganging together. Even the Slytherins have been after Eoin's head. His parents had to take him out of Hogwarts after a couple of seventh years cast a nasty combination of hexes on him." They informed her unaware that she knew part of Eoin's situation from his sister coming to visit. _

"_Everyone has been furious with him for putting you in here." The other added. Lily couldn't tell them apart since their tone of voice was identical. _

"_I don't think you realise how much of an effect you've had on everyone since to invited Margarita into the fold. Many of the younger students have been breaking the house barriers. I even saw a group of first year Slytherins having breakfast with Hufflepuffs this morning. It was such a surprise!" They exclaimed and Lily had to agree that it was unusual behaviour. Since the war, Slytherins hardly mingled with students from other houses. Only a small few had dared to, Malfoy included._

_Lily stopped her thoughts there and resumed listening to the twins. "It's no wonder this place is now overflowing with treats from Hogsmeade. I hope you don't mind if I have some of your chocolate frogs. I know you are not a huge fan and you'll just get fat if you are left to eat them all yourself." _

_Lily didn't object even if she could have made her objections known. She'd heard her brothers and cousins tuck into her gifts during their visits. After all, Lily could imagine how bored they were with talking to her and not getting a response._

"_Jess and Delia will be joining us any minute now for our daily revision session." One twin sighed, "I heard she's wanting to go over History of Magic today. We're so not looking forward to that."_

* * *

It was during the revision session that words finally escaped Lily's mouth and her body became controllable again. "If you tell me one more miserable fact about the History of Magic, I'll throw that damn book at you." Lily complained since listening to Jess drone on about the subject had made her head hurt.

The four girls jumped in their seats, startled by her words.

They began staring at her through wide eyes. "You're back with us!" They beamed, all rushing over to the edge of the bed.

Lily fought the glare from the torches as she opened her eyes tentatively and shifted herself stiffly into a seated position. It was such a good feeling having her sight back as well as the use of her body. "It looks like it, you can't imagine what's it's been like lying there locked in my own body. I could hear you talking around me but this is the first time trying to respond has works. Ouch Del." She complained as Delia hugged her a bit to tightly.

She threw herself backwards immediately. "Oops, sorry. I'm just happy to have you back." She gushed, bouncing on the balls of her feet in excitement.

"You really could hear us?" They asked, pleased that Jess had been right.

Lily managed to chuckle. They probably would have thought themselves ridiculous if Lily hadn't been able to hear them. "Of course. I would have probably faded away with boredom if I hadn't had you all chatting away around me." She let them know just how much she appreciated their visits, what it had been like for her lying there, and what had really happened in the Prefects bathroom. They all seemed a little guilty about thinking the worse of MacLaggen. It was his arrogance that had got her to loose her temper but there was no malicious intent behind his actions. They promised to spread the word later.

Hearing the shrieks of delight, Victoire came hurrying into the room looking as graceful as ever, despite her protruding baby bump. The little munskin would be due in a little over a month. "How are you feeling?" She inquired making the girls part and give her space.

Victoire went into mothering mode. Fussing over her youngest cousin. "I'm ok," Lily assured her, unable to keep the smile off her face. She was finally back. "I little hungry I guess, starving even. When was the last time I ate?" She asked as her stomach growled its complaint.

Victoire started beaming at her with relief. Lily took it to be a good sign. "I've been trying to give you all your nutrients through potions but it's the fourteenth of May, you've been her almost twelve days." Lily could hardly believed that it hadn't been much longer. It had seemed an eternity as she lay there. "Have some of this chocolate, it should help." Vactoire said, handing Lily a large pile of chocolates which she tucked into.

When Lily finished a bar she felt almost back to normal. "Do you think I can get out of here now?" Lily asked hopefully, her eyes drifting over to her elated friends.

Lily's heart sank when she saw Victoire shaking her head. "I'd like to keep you here over night for observation." She told her.

Feeling dejected but accepting her cousin's opinion, Lily continued. "Then can I please get out of this bed, I've been itching to move since I got here."

Victoire thought for a moment and then nodded. She called Maggie and Margarita over to help Lily out of bed since they were the tallest. Lily felt so good to have her feet on the ground once again.

"You've been aware of everything?" Victoire asked her as the girls helped Lily get used to using her legs again. They were stiff and a little uncooperative. It was probably best she didn't join the rest of the school just yet. Lily then relayed everything she'd experienced to her cousin who listened with fascination.

"Are my scars permanent?" Lily asked once she'd been helped into a chair instead of the bed. Her forearms where cover in shiny white scars which looked fully healed.

"I have a potion that can help them but it can be painful. We needed you conscious since we didn't know if it could cause you more damage in the state you were in. It's up to you if you want to try it."

Lily shook her head. She didn't fancy any painful treatments just then. "No that's ok. I'll put up with them for now. You never know, they may fade on their own."

"Right well, I'll go and send an owl to Uncle Harry and let him know that you've woken up. I wouldn't be surprised if you have the whole family coming to visit you this evening." Victoire announced standing up. She then left the girls to spend some time together.

Lily was able to walk about the Hospital Wing and finally be able to talk back to her friends until they were sent to the Great Hall for their evening meal. They promised to spread the word that Lily was finally ok and should be discharged the next day.

True to Victoire's word, the whole Potter/Weasley clan showed up that evening to see Lily's improvement. Lily apologised profusely for causing them to worry and explained what had happened to the best of her ability. Now that they knew she was ok, they were a lot calmer especially where Eoin MacLaggen was concerned.

Over the next few days, Lily adjusted to her new routine. She had a lot of work to catch up with since her OWLs were only a couple of weeks away. It was lucky then that she no longer had Quidditch and detentions to contend with. None of those in the know questioned Lily about Scorpius having been told by either Duanne or Scorpius himself that they were no longer together. Her stint in the Hospital Wing had given her some perspective. Although she was still bothered about what had gone on between her and Malfoy, it no longer seemed the end of the world. She had other priorities, her work being one of them.

Just like the Zabini twins had mentioned, the atmosphere between the students had changed. During meal times, students no longer kept to the House tables. Some Slytherins sat at other House tables whilst others had invited students from other Houses to their table. There was also a lot more coming and going during meal times. People happily paying their new friends in different houses a visit. Although this had occurred on a smaller scale for a while now, there was still a dramatic difference. There were a few older students who seemed to object with the new arrangement but no trouble arose. They all seemed to have bonded over a common cause.

Surly she hadn't influenced the change. However she couldn't deny that students of all ages and Houses kept coming up to her and saying how glad they were to have her back. Flummoxed over the whole ordeal, she didn't feel like she deserved such attention but she couldn't deny that the new atmosphere was extremely pleasant.

**I promised the wait wouldn't be as long this time although I didn't expect to have the chapter finished this quick. I very much doubt the next chapter will be up as quick. I hope you enjoyed reading it.**


	36. C36: Natural Progression

**Hey all! Here's another chapter - my longest one yet. It's a bit of a filler really so probably not the best chapter I've written, but it contains a lot of information. I've been really busy with funeral arrangements, unfortunately my grandma passed away earlier this month. I've also applied to begin nursing at University. I have interviews to prepare for over the next couple of months. Eeek!**

**Chapter 36 - Natural Progression.**

With only two weeks left before the fifth years began their OWL examinations, their schedules changed. Students were no longer set homework by their teachers. Instead lessons were devoted to revision. The teachers all but crammed all the information they suspected would be examined, down the students' throats. Most of the students took this gruelling schedule hard. Jess however, was in her element. People, who didn't know her well, always assumed that she was the shy quiet one of Lily's group of friends. Their opinions took a severe battering when Jess, blew her fuse if anyone tried to disrupt the tight revision schedule she had planned around lessons and meal times.

Lily and the girls endearingly nicknamed Jess the banshee when she shrieked at Joel Finch-Fletchley from Hufflepuff. He'd been thoughtless enough to ask Lily a question one afternoon, which had no relation whatsoever to their school work. Everyone in a quarter mile radius was left with ringing ears after that episode. So not to risk a scolding from the Ravenclaw, the girls obeyed her every word. Even Margarita who had a glare that had younger students quaking in their boots- a complete contrast to her true personality, stepped in line. She'd become particularly fond of the muggle-born over the past few months. Delia and Maggie's love lives were also affected by their friend's behaviour. Merlin forbids either could spend even a minute of that allotted time talking to their boyfriends! Jess made it quite clear that Al and Hugo could only discuss work during those hours. Even the boys admitted to being a little afraid of her.

Hugo made an effort and tried to revise with them so he could spend time with Delia. However, Jess' sergeant major attitude had him fleeing to where climates were less tense. He spent most of his revision time down by the lake with Brian and Chester. It was also lucky that Al had his NEWTs to study for and therefore needed to spend a lot of his time in study sessions with his fellow seventh year Gryffindors. If this hadn't been the case, Maggie and Jess may have got into a full blown fight.

Lily had to admire Jess' new found fire. It became clear to her that Jess was perfect for her cousin Louis if they decided to become more than friends. All her part Veela cousins had strong willful personalities at times. It was good that Jess was going to be able to stand her ground when needed and keep him on his toes.

A bonus of the strict regime was that it meant Lily's brain was full of OWL work, with no room left for anything else. She welcomed Jess' dictatorship since it was preferable to pining over a certain Slytherin. The Slytherin in question was spending most of his time hidden in his common room according to Duanne and Margarita. Not that Lily had asked either of them for the news; they'd just saw fit to volunteer the information. After that, Lily made it clear that she didn't want to talk abut Scorpius and he wasn't brought up again.

The Gryffindors and Hufflepuffs received their exam time tables during the Herbology lesson one afternoon. "Your exams will be spread over two weeks." Professor Longbottom informed his class of fifth years. "Theory papers will be sat during the mornings, whilst practicals will be in the afternoon. For all those taking Ancient Runes, Arithmacy, History of Magic and Muggle Studies; these subjects do not require a practical exam."

He paused to check that he had the attention of everyone in his class. "Now I must inform you, all anti-cheating measures will be applied. Anyone trying to use items such as Auto-Answer Quills, Detectable Cribbing Cuffs, Remembralls and Self-Correcting ink, will not only automatically fail that subject, but risk failing all of them. It is not worth the risk." He warned them sternly.

"Sir, when do we get our results?" Jedediah Smith asked, almost falling off the bench while raising his hand.

"Your results will be sent by owl during the third week in July." Replied Professor Longbottom without pause.

Several students made a sigh of relief whilst Lily's hand went up with a question of her own. "Why do we have to wait so long? We've always had our results handed to us before the end of the school year." She asked curiously.

"They will be marked and remarked externally Miss Potter. Think yourself lucky. NEWT students will have to wait until the end of August for their results." He said with a small smile.

Lily slumped forward on the table. A four week wait after their last exam certainly did sound better than a nine to ten week wait.

* * *

History of Magic was the first exam scheduled for Monday morning whilst Ancient Runes was scheduled for the afternoon. Since Lily had done as much History of Magic revision as she could take, she spent all of Sunday translating texts in preparation for her second exam. Jess, Brian, Chester and the twins were taking the subject as well.

They started revising together but the boys had given up on them by lunchtime. Ancient Runes was not one of their best subjects and since the girls found the translations to be relatively easy, it was making the boys nervous rather than helping them. They ended up joining a group of Hufflepuffs who were studying for the same exam instead.

Both Hugo and Delia sat together going through their Care of Magical Creatures notes for Tuesday's exam since neither of them took up Ancient Runes during their third year.

The meal that evening was a quiet affair. The fifth and seventh year students sat eating in silence. They sent piercing glares at anyone who dared to break that silence. Lily sat with a textbook in one hand as she ate while Maggie read the same textbook over Lily's shoulder.

The rest of the evening was just as quiet with everyone trying to cram in some last minute revision. When nine o'clock came, Lily had had enough. She was as prepared for tomorrow's exams, as much as she ever would be, so she went to bed. She was pleasantly surprised in the morning, to find that she'd slept soundly through the night without waking up once.

Breakfast was just as strained as their dinner had been. All students taking their OWL or NEWT examination in History of Magic looked a little green. Delia sat with her head on the table and her fingers in her ears, reciting as many important dates and legislations as she could remember. Maggie sat staring stoic at her porridge but didn't touch it. Jess and Margarita went over their notes together while Lily sat there staring at the wall behind the Slytherin table.

Malfoy wasn't there for breakfast, she'd checked. Rose was absent from the Gryffindor table as well that morning. No doubt they were both hidden away somewhere in the castle revising for their Ancient Runes NEWT in the afternoon.

At least Albus was looking calm since his first exam wasn't until Wednesday. Amelia was also less stressed than others since she still had a days worth of revision to do before her NEWTs began. Lily thought they were lucky not having exams every day. They had more time before each exam, to refresh themselves with what was on it. The only day she had off was next Friday since she didn't do Divination. That wasn't much help since she'd have finished all of her OWLs by then.

At the end of breakfast, all the fifth years and a handful of seventh year students waited in the Entrance Hall whilst the other students headed to their lessons. At half nine they re-entered the Great Hall to find that the House table were gone. They had been replaced with smaller tables for one, set out in rows. The NEWT students were directed to fill the row on the furthest right while the fifth years filled the other rows, sitting in alphabetical order.

The Staff table was now full with spare pieces of parchment and ink pots. In the centre of the table sat an overly large hourglass. Professor Davies stood by it along with two external examiners Professor Gurdyroot and Professor Lighthowler. Once everyone was in their seats, Professor Davies gave them the order to begin and turned the hourglass so that the sand began to pour.

Lily turned her attention to her paper and began reading the short list of essay questions. The first question asked to briefly review the changing relationship between Goblins and Wizards since the year eighteen hundred up until the year two thousand. That was simple enough for Lily. Thanks to the quiz Jess had given her a few days ago; Lily knew exactly how to answer it. Lily scribbled away only glancing up to check that her friends were also frantically writing away.

The second question asked about the legislation of House elves rights and what opposition was met during their creation. Grinning broadly, Lily wrote about her Aunt Hermione's involvement in the whole affair and how she'd come across stumbling blocks from both wizards and House elves. That question at least, she'd probably gained full marks in. She struggled with the question involving the rebellions of Trolls and Giants but the final question on Werewolves went well.

"That went dreadfully. I failed for sure." Delia complained once it was all over. "I forgot all the important dates I thought I had memorised and had a complete mental blank on that question about Vampires."

Lily and Maggie exchanged a quick awkward glance at Delia's remark. Neither of them had the heart to worry Delia by letting her know that the legislations in question four referred to Werewolves and not Vampires."

"At least it's over now. No more History of Magic or listening to Professor Binns drone on." Maggie replied, patting Delia on the back.

After lunch with the rest of the school, Delia went to study outside in the sunshine with Hugo. Meanwhile the others sat their Ancient Runes examination. Lily spent the first five minutes sneaking side glances at Scorpius before she stopped herself and berated her own stupidity. With a sigh, she clasped the lily pendant she still wore around her neck and lowered her eyes to the text she was supposed to be translating.

"That was nowhere near as exhausting as I thought it would be. It was quite enjoyable actually." Rose declared when she joined Lily, Jess and the twins once the papers had been collected and they'd been dismissed. The girls agreed to the extent that the paper was not as difficult as they had been expecting but they didn't share Rose's enjoyment.

As they reviewed the text Jess suddenly realised that she had mistranslated one of the passages and began hitting herself on the forehead with a piece of parchment until Lily stopped her. There was no point worrying about it now since it was too late to change it. Brian and Chester didn't look too happy with their performance either but they were already discussing their next exams.

Jess and Chester had the whole of the next day off while Lily, Delia, Hugo, Brian and both the twins had their Care of Magical Creatures theory exam in the morning and practical in the afternoon. During the breaks they spent their time talking to Amelia and Duanne since they had their NEWT in the subject. Thankfully there was no Malfoy to distract Lily on that day.

The theory paper was pretty simple in the end and the practical was easy enough. Lily managed to successfully encourage a brown coloured Hippogrith to bow to her. It also allowed her to groom it without any problems; she fed and cleaned out a Fire Crab while avoiding personal injury; correctly handled a unicorn and identified the diet, that when offered to a Knarl, wouldn't make it go bezerk.

Hugo finished his practical without any problems but both Maggie and Margarita struggled with the Hippogrith while Delia messed up the task with the Knarl. It went beserk when it saw her offering of some blue coloured beetles as an attempt to poison it. Brian lost a few marks on the unicorn task when it refused to go anywhere near him and received third degree burns when he dealt with the Fire Crab. He was not at all happy when he stormed off to the Hospital Wing to have his burns sorted out.

Lily gave Hagrid two thumbs up after her practical. If she wasn't mistaken, she had just secured an 'Outstanding' in Care of Magical Creatures.

Herbology was Wednesday's exam. Albus and Amelia were the only seventh year students Lily knew well, who were taking their NEWT while she carried out her OWL. Herbology was one of Delia's strongest subjects and was as confident as Lily that afternoon. However, it was the twin's weakest subject; they didn't see the point in learning about plants since neither of them liked getting their hands dirty very much. Nevertheless, they still felt as if they had done enough to pass the subject with at least an 'Acceptable' grade.

Once again, Brian and Chester left the greenhouse that afternoon covered in bites and certain that they'd failed that subject. They really hoped things would start looking up for them soon. Hugo tried not to act so smug since his friends were in such a sour mood, but he was pretty sure he'd aced that exam.

Lily had Thursday morning off with the twins as Delia and Jess had Muggle Studies. The three girls sat in the sun outside, going over their Arithmacy charts for the afternoon exam. Hugo joined them since his friends were also taking the morning exam. Arithmacy was renowned for being one of the more difficult OWLS. Consequently, they had done the most revision preparation for it. Due to this, the four of them were in high spirits during dinner.

"That was no where near as difficult as I expected" Margarita sighed with relief and Maggie agreed. So did Lily and Hugo, it was only Chester who didn't since his energy had been spent on his Muggle Studies exam which he was certain, he'd received and 'Outstanding' in at least.

Rose was bragging that her NEWT Arithmacy paper went well and she would be surprised if she got anything lower than an 'Outstanding' for it. This was happen a good thing since she planned to work at the Ministry of Magic. She needed top marks to enter Ministry, even with family members running some of the Departments.

Friday's Astronomy paper went really well and Lily was certain that she'd got all of Uranus' moons named correctly but she was a little sketchy about Jupiter's. The paper went well for all and the Gryffindor fifth years were on a high that afternoon. It also helped that the weekend was almost upon them marking a half way point in their examinations.

The afternoon was purposely left blank since they'd have to wait until the night for their practical paper. Lily chose to get some rest so that she would be nice and refreshed when it was dark, while Maggie sat on her bed going over Defence Against the Dark Arts for Monday. Maggie disliked Astronomy as much as Herbology and felt her time was better spent on a more worthwhile subject.

Lily woke up in time for dinner and then went through star charts before the practical exam at eleven. The weather conditions were perfect. A stretch of cloudless sky meant that plotting star charts was pretty simple. Lily was certain that she'd managed to name about ninety percent of the stars correctly but she kept checking over them just in case.

Maggie and Margarita seemed to be fighting off sleep as they peered through their telescopes and at one point they had to be nudged by their neighbour.

The moderators on duty that night, Professor Carne and Lawson were the youngest of all the outside moderators whom had come to test the OWL and NEWT students; they were also very beautiful. The boys were having a hard time concentrating on the sky with them walking around. A fact which Delia didn't fail to pick up on. Needless to say, she was not in a good mood with Hugo. She was scowling as she scribbled down names of the stars on her chart.

When Professor Carne announced that they had run out of time, many of the male students appeared to blink stupidly having realised that they had only partially filled in their charts.

"I don't want to hear your excuses." Delia huffed as she descended the spiral staircase, Hugo chasing after her.

"I'm sorry Del I really am. You know I love you." He pleaded earnestly.

Delia suddenly stopped and Hugo had to act fast so that he didn't knock into her. Margarita wasn't as lucky in her sleepy state. She knocked into Hugo so Brian had to catch her so that she didn't trip down the stairs. Hugo stumbled a little but was otherwise fine.

Lily watched as Delia spun around to face Hugo looking as if she'd been hit on the back of the head with a telescope. "W-what d-did you s-say?" She stammered in an awed tone.

Hugo seemed stunned by his own words and the implications but he didn't take them back. "I love you Del" He repeated sincerely.

Delia let out a high pitch squeal and flung her arms carelessly around his neck. "I love you too." She squealed and planted a passionate kiss on his lips.

With a lot of grumbling the OWL and NEWT students had to squeeze around the couple since they showed no signs of moving. They only did so, when Professor Lawson commanded them to go back to their _own_ common rooms; putting enough emphasis on the word own, that it had the couple blushing beet red.

Lily took Saturday morning off from revision by telling Jess that she was feeling a bit off and needed to go to the Hospital Wing for a check up. Lily only had four subjects left and was stressing about them. However, she was too exhausted to revise all weekend and her head really was hurting. Lily spent the morning in a quiet place but returned to her friends in the afternoon which was dedicated to Potions.

Since she had no problems with the subject, she spent all afternoon practically teaching Delia, Brian and Chester the basics so that they would at least pass the exam. It was a hard thing to do since they had all convinced themselves that a 'Troll' in the subject was the only grade they were likely to achieve.

Once Lily had scolded them for their attitude and joked that if didn't want to spend another year with Professor Greengrass teaching them as they repeated their Potions OWL, they would buck up their ideas and listen to her. They were more than happy to motivate themselves to learn after that.

By the end of Sunday, Lily had managed to chunk down the last two years of potions into pieces that they could understand. All they needed to do was keep it in their heads long enough for Thursday's exam.

Monday's Defence Against the Dark Arts examination paper went well on Monday, despite the fact that Lily was once again distracted by Scorpius being in the room. Thankfully with Albus also doing his NEWT paper in the hall, Lily found enough self discipline to stop herself from staring at the Slytherin.

After lunch, the fifth years were split up into smaller groups for their practical. Lily kept her head and managed to perform all the counter-jinxes and defensive spells to her satisfaction. Lily left the room certain that she had done her parents proud with that performance. When she reviewed the subject with her friends later, they were all certain that they had secured descent grades for their Defence Against the Dark Arts. Albus was hyper when he returned to the common room and it lasted all afternoon. He too felt that his NEWT in the subject had gone well.

Their Charms exam was surprisingly difficult on Tuesday; Lily had no idea what grade she should expect after that. Thankfully the practical went better in the afternoon. Lily had fun making an entire dinner set cartwheel around the room.

"I have no idea how it happened but I accidentally transformed my examiners hat into a toad. She wasn't impressed by my blunder but at least I managed to recover by turning it back. Other than that, it went well I think." Delia explained during dinner.

The girls had a few laughs at that as they went over some last minute Transfiguration revision at the dinning table. That was another subject Delia was dreading. "As long as you're not asked to transfigure snails you'll be fine" Maggie smirked recalling the day by the lake at the beginning of their first term that year. The comment brought about another round of laughter for those who had been there on the day.

Something happened shortly after that which wiped the smile off Lily's face. Posie Montague of Slytherin was all of a sudden straddling Scorpius and attempting to jam her tongue down his throat. He held her back but didn't exactly shove her off his lap. Feeling the colour drain from her face, Lily fled the room before the tears began. The majority of her friends were left puzzled over her swift disappearance. It was Maggie who spent the rest of the evening comforting Lily and coaxing her into a state where she'd be able to face doing her exam in the morning.

Lily wasn't herself the next day which everyone noticed. It was hard not to. Putting it down to exam stress they all offered words of encouragement that she only had two subjects left. She was vaguely aware of what she was writing in her Transfiguration theory test, especially when she kept sensing Scorpius' gaze burning into her. In a moment of distraction, Lily looked up and their gaze locked. He seemed conflicted. Almost as if he was pleading for forgiveness but then not. Lily quickly lowered her gaze back to her paper.

She really needed to get over her feelings for the Slytherin fast, especially if he was going to start seeing Posie. No doubt his grandfather would approve of the match. She was a pureblood after all, Lily thought bitterly at the end of the day.

Potions was Lily's last exam. In fact only Hugo and Delia from her group had an exam in Divination on Friday. Potions should have been Lily's easiest exam. She'd practically been tutored by the portrait of Professor Snape once he realised that she had a natural flare for the subject like her name sake. Unfortunately her spaced-outness continued for her potions exam. She couldn't recall what she'd written for her theory test but she really hoped it made sense. Luckily her Potions practical went well as she added the ingredients on instinct.

From the sound of it, Jess, Hugo and the twins breezed through the subject while Delia, Chester and Brian made a passable attempt at the shrinking potion thanks to Lily's tutorage.

The atmosphere was a lot lighter in the common room that evening. The majority of students had finished their exams with only a few taking Divination. The younger students had already begun receiving their results of their internal examinations before the school year came to an end on Tuesday.

Lily was also in a brighter mood come Friday. Not because her exams were over, but because Scorpius was giving Posie the cold shoulder. Lily berated herself for being such a lost cause and struggled not to ask either Duanne or Margarita what had gone on between them. Since she had made clear that the subject of Scorpius was a no-go area, they didn't offer the information to her either.

The Gryffindors had a party in their common room that evening to celebrate the end of term and end of exams. Several students from other Houses were also invited. The celebrations went on well into the night, right up until the point where Professor Longbottom walked in wearing a set of plaid pyjamas. The celebrations were forced to stop after that and students were escorted back to their own common room. Reluctantly, Lily went to bed but the party picked up again on Sunday, that time in the Hufflepuff common room.

* * *

Tuesday came around quickly. All Lily's belongings were packed in her trunk and Padfoot dozed in his cat carrier. She was standing waiting for a carriage to take her to the station at Hogsmeade when she heard her name being shouted over the crowd.

Lily turned to see Rose running her way with Albus several strides ahead. "Victoire's gone into labour!" Rose explained breathlessly before she ran off looking for her brother.

Excited but also a little anxious, Lily turned to Albus who paused by her side catching his breath. "Where is she?"

"She's still in the Hospital Wing. Teddy and Madam Bones are with her. Victoire's and our parents are on theire way, Uncle Nev has sent for them. They're going to stay the night here so they won't be able to meet us at the station." He explained massaging his ribs.

"I'm not going home, I'm staying here." Lily interrupted quickly, wanting to run off to the Hospital Wing there and then.

"I was just going to ask you that. Rose is going to stay as well she's just gone to ask Hugo what he wants to. Anyways, they need us inside Teddy isn't handling this too well since Victoire's in quite a bit of discomfort. She's letting him know just how ticked off she is at him for getting her pregnant." Albus explained quickly and Lily began picking up her luggage to drag it inside with her.

Albus shook his head. "Hagrid is going to look after our cases and the animals for us so we better say goodbye to everyone quickly." He finished turning his attention to Maggie as he kissed her goodbye and made hurried arrangements to meet up soon. Lily hugged her friends' goodbye and ran back to the castle with her brother. She heard Rose and Hugo following them.

They heard Victoire's complaints well before the arrived at the Hospital Wing. There was no wonder Teddy wasn't coping well with the tongue lashing he was receiving. The Hospital Wing itself had been rearranged. Curtains had been drawn around the bed at the end of the room ready for when Victoire needed it. The other beds had been stored elsewhere and armchairs had been moved there from the staffroom for the couple's families to sit and wait in. Madam Bones was setting out potions and medical equipment trying to ignore the couple's 'private conversation.'

Victoire was pacing the floor and let out a stream of curses when a nasty contraction started. The sound had Teddy stumbling backwards looking helpless. "I'm never touching her again." He muttered blankly.

Lily glanced at Albus and Hugo. "Try and occupy Teddy. You might want to take him down to the kitchens to get some food and drink brought up here. You might as well warn the House elves that we may be here a while when you're down there." She suggested and grabbing Rose's hand went to brave the storm.

"Vic, why don't we sit down for a bit?" Lily said, coaching her eldest cousin to a seat. She had no idea what she was supposed to do in this situation. She'd been there through anyone's labour before. Upon seeing her cousinsbefore her and the others dragging Teddy out of the room, Victoire took a deep breath. She mentioned to both Lily and Rose that there was no point complaining about how much she was suffering if her Husband wasn't in the room to hear her. The cheek of him suggesting he wouldn't touch her after this! Once this was all over, she was going to prove to her husband just how ridiculous he was for suggesting such a thing. However the comment did make her feel satisfied that he had an idea of what she was going through. It was his own fault really, demanding she stay in the Hospital Wing with little to do but think about her discomfort and what she was about to go through.

After her rant, she sat herself down with difficulty. "Where are ma mere and Domi?" Victoire asked.

Lily looked to Rose to answer. "They're all on their way. Neville's gone to meet them at the gate." She told her soothingly.

Victoire began complaining that it was taking them too long and she needed them there now. Lily lent close to Rose and whispered "We need to distract her until they arrive." Rose nodded her agreement.

Rose grabbed hold of Victoire's hands and demanded her attention. She was even brave enough not to wince when their eldest cousin berated her for 'manhandling' her. "Victoire? You mentioned to me yesterday that you are planning to open a healing centre in Hogsmeade so that you can work from home. Tell us what arrangements you need to get sorted." Rose began.

"What's the point in going over that now, this is hardly the time." Victoire snapped.

Following Rose's lead, Lily took hold of one of Victoire's hands from Rose. "Please tell us Vic. We really want to know. We might be able to help you." Lily insisted.

After a deep breath and another contraction, Victoire began to tell them her plans. Once she began she didn't stop talking and the younger cousins were happy to notice that the distraction was working. Victoire's reactions to the contractions became less severe as she occupied her mind.

Returning to the Hospital Wing, the boys came with refreshments. Teddy was relieved to see that his wife was doing better and hadn't murdered anyone in his absence. Hugo and Al concentrated on seeing that the atmosphere remained that way. They couldn't describe their relief when Fleur's parents arrived with Harry and Ginny. They could take over now.

Having been through the situation many times before, the women joined Victoire whilst the men stayed with Teddy. Bill even remarked that Victoire was a lot calmer than Fleur had been during her labour. Apparently it had a lot to do with the Veela blood running through there veins; their bodies didn't respond properly to the pain relief potions. Lily was immediately glad that she had been born last of all the cousins and that Fleur had decided not to have anymore children. She was grateful that she hadn't been around when the woman who was twenty five percent Veela, gave birth. That would have been a nightmare.

It wasn't long before the grandparents entered the Hospital Wing and Dominique arrived with Louis and James to offer their support. The rest of the Weasley clan were making arrangements to arrive in the morning. They didn't want to overwhelm the expectant parents.

It was around four in the morning when Victoire was ready to give birth. Fleur, Ginny, Teddy and Dominique were behind the soundproof curtains with Victoire and Madam Bones. The rest were waiting nearby. Lily sat between her brothers; her head resting drowsily on James' shoulder as he played exploding snap with Louis and Hugo; one hand clasping Albus' as he played one-handed chess against Rose.

Lily's grandmother had tired herself out fussing over the lot of them earlier; she now sat dosing in one of the armchairs. Her grandfather sat in the armchair next to her pretending to sleep. They all knew he wasn't really sleeping due to the absence of his snores. Uncle Bill and her father sat reading although Lily noticed that they were really just staring at their books; their eyes weren't moving across the page. They were flicking towards the closed curtains instead. Teddy's grandmother, 'Dromeda' was pacing the room, her eyes not moving from the curtain where her grandson and his wife were hidden. They were all just waiting for the curtains to part so they would know that it was all over.

Moments later there was a great scrambling of chairs as a dazed looking Teddy walked out carrying a small bundle in his arms. Everyone had immediately stopped what they were doing and came to meet the first of the next generation of the family.

"A girl. I have a daughter." Teddy told them, in shock that he was actually a father. "Meet: Aimee Flora Lupin." Little Aimee was just about the cutest baby they'd all seen. With tufts of silver blonde hair and baby blue eyes, she resembled her mother. They were all crowding around, trying to get a better look at her.

"Victoire's doing fine, she's just resting." He added to Bill who tore himself away from his first grandchild to see how his eldest daughter had weathered.

Once they managed to sleep a little, the rest of the Weasley clan arrived at Hogwarts to see the new addition to their family tree. They couldn't believe how quiet the newborn was but apparently Teddy had been the same. Lily suspected that Aimee would end up being the type of newborn everyone wished for as a first child; not likely to kick up a fuss over nothing. She only cried when she needed changing or was hungry. The rest of the time she gurgled or dozed in the arms of her many older relatives. Lily didn't want to give Aimee back when it was her turn to hold her baby cousin. To think she was going to be god mother to this angel!

Since Aimee and Victoire were healthy, they were able to leave late that afternoon. The entire family congregated in the Lupin's home in Hogsmeade, taking it in turns to visit the nursery. Soon after her birth, it became clear that Aimee had inherited her father's talents as a metamorphmangus. Aimee awed everyone by imitating the colouring of the person holding her. For weeks, neither Teddy nor Victoire left their daughters side for more than a few minutes, despite the fact they had everyone fighting over babysitting duties. It would be August before the new parents were able to tear themselves away from their daughter long enough to need a babysitter.

* * *

Lily had to return to Grimauld's place despite the fact that she could have quite happily camped out in her goddaughter's nursery. She had things to do! She busied herself creating new items of clothing for her fashion label. She would not have that much time to work on them over the next two years while she studied for her NEWTs. Luckily she was a fast worker when she was doing something she really loved. She soon had new designs to post to Lucy and a book full of others which she would continue to tweak at any free moment once back at school.

Jess stayed with the Potters over the month of July. Her parents were filming overseas and since she'd be receiving her OWL results, she chose not to spend it with her Aunt and Uncle. They were still having trouble getting the head around the fact that their niece was a witch.

The week the OWL results were due, Maggie and Margarita were also stopping over; Neville had brought Delia over for the day and as a result Hugo had dragged his parents over for a visit. He couldn't convince his Mum to let him go alone since she wanted to be nearby if he got his results. He did refuse point blank to her hovering outside with him.

Reluctantly, with a little persuasion from Harry and Ron, Hermione joined the rest of the grown-ups. They were congregating in the lounge while the students sat nervously around the patio table while trying to distract themselves from the fact that they could be in receipt of their results today.

"Bloody Hell that's them!" Hugo yelled, leaping off his chair and pointing to several dots in the sky. They all stood up and tried to spot them.

"Are there six of them? I can only see five."

"There's the sixth one there Jess." Margarita assured her, pointing to a dot which was slightly apart from the other five. All six students began to panic.

"Should we tell our parents?" Delia asked, looking back to the house.

Lily shook her head. "I'm not opening my letter in front of that lot! I'm nervous enough."

"I'm going to be sick" Delia complained all of a sudden and sat down holding her head between her knees.

Hugo went to comfort her and rubbed her back gently. "You're going to be ok." He assured her, his eyes never leaving the advancing owls.

"That's ok for you to say" She complained sending a withering to the approaching owls before looking back at her friends. "I'm not as smart as you lot and you don't have the added pressure of having a Professor for a Dad."

Neither Hugo nor Lily reminded Delia who their parents were and how much pressure that put on them.

"I'm sure your Dad is going to be proud of you come what may." Jess assured her logically. "You did your best and that's all that matters."

"I'll remind him of that when I come out with ten 'Dreadfuls' " She bit out sarcastically.

Maggie snapped at her friends continuing negativity that was so out of character. "Cordelia Longbottom" She began using Delia's formal name. "We did not spend all that time revising for you to come out with ten 'Dreadfuls'. It is not going to happen, I won't allow it!" Maggie's fierce tone finally got Delia to snap out of it and chuckle; a calmness which was short lived.

Six owls swooped down and landed on the patio table in front of them in a neat line. All six lifted their right legs. The six nervous students stepped forwards to untie the letter addressed to them. Lily's hands were clammy causing her to fumble with the knots. Hugo and Jess' hands were trembling and Delia was having a few problems trying to detach her letter from the owl on the far right. Only Maggie and Margarita kept their composure.

Nobody around the patio table spoke. Finally, Lily held her envelope and after slitting it open, quickly unfolded the parchment.

ORDINARY WIZARDING LEVEL RESULTS

_Pass grades:_ Outstanding (O)

Exceeds Expectations (E)

Acceptable (A)

_Fail grades: _Poor (P)

Dreadful (D)

Troll (T)

LILY LUNA POTTER HAS ACHIEVED

Ancient Runes: O

Arithmacy: O

Astronomy: O

Care of Magical Creatures: O

Charms: O

Defence Against the Dark Arts: O

Herbology: O

History of Magic: E

Potions: O

Transfiguration: O

Lily read her parchment through multiple times barely believing what she saw. How was it possible that she had received an 'O' in every subject except History of Magic? It was unbelievable. She finally looked up to find everyone else looked relieved while she probably looked stunned.

Delia had even gone as far as jumping up and down in celebration. Maggie and Margarita were laughing having received identical results, five 'Outstanding', four 'Exceeds Expectations' and an 'Acceptable', all in the same subjects. Jess caught Lily's eye and was grinning broadly. "An 'E' in both Ancient Runes and Herbology but an 'O' in everything else. How about you?"

"O's in everything except for an E in History of Magic according to this but I still think it may be mistaken." Lily replied in disbelief.

A devilish grin spread over Jess' face. "You can't call _me_ Swat now!"

Their parents came outside upon hearing the noise. "I only failed History of Magic" Delia beamed, waving her result parchment up in the air. A's in Charms, _Potions_ and Transfiguration, four E's and an Outstanding both in Herbology and Defence Against the Dark Arts." She exclaimed, wrapping her arms around her father as he told her how proud he was.

Hugo began telling his parent's that he'd passed all his subjects having gained an A in Astronomy, E's in History of Magic, Potions and Divination and an O in everything else. Ron and Hermione both choked on his Divination score, Hermione having dropped the subject and Ron having failed it. Still at a loss for what to say to her parents, Lily shoved the parchment in her mother's hand only to receive hearty hugs from them both once they had read her grades. They found out later that both Brian and Chester had done a lot better than expected having passed eight exams each.

* * *

Slowly her results sunk in, along with the realisation that she could choose any subject she wanted to continue at NEWT level! That certainly was a relief. No more getting up in the middle of the night for Astronomy or having to resist sleep during History of Magic ever again! She'd probably give up Charms and either Arithmacy or Ancient Runes. She didn't want to give them both up so she really hoped Hogwarts would let her take six NEWTs like they had let her cousin Rose and Scorpius. Lily instantly began shaking her head. She couldn't believe she was thinking about him again.

Lily spent the rest of the holiday with her family and friends. She also kept herself busy with babysitting duty for the Scamander twins and her cherub of a goddaughter Aimee. Lily continued to find it difficult not to wonder how Scorpius was doing. She also wondered if he thought of her. She had no idea how he'd done in his NEWTs and hadn't seen him since the holidays began. However, surrounding herself by people helped her to bury thoughts of him in the back of her mind.

When August came, so did lots of reasons to celebrate. First Lily's cousin Roxanne got engaged to her longstanding boyfriend Armand Belby; Grandson of the inventor of the wolfsbane potion.

Secondly, Dominique surprised the family by returning from her holiday in Spain a married woman. The couple had made a spur of the moment decision to get married when they visited a stunning chapel set in a picturesque scene; on a cliff top overlooking the sea. Her new husband Henry Jenkinson was already like a member of the family since he was Teddy's best friend and had been the best man at his and Victoire's wedding the previous winter. Since none of the family had been there at the wedding, a family celebration of the joining was held at the Burrow.

Finally, good news also arrived at the end of the month. Rose and Albus graduated Hogwarts with top marks and had been accepted on the internship programmes at the Ministry of Magic. Rose joining the Department for the Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures whilst Albus began his training to become an Auror.

Duanne wrote to say thanks for all the Potions help Lily had given him since he had ended up with and Exceeds Expectations. He also wished her luck for her remaining time at Hogwarts and mentioned his plans to go into Property Development since he had no desire to join the Zabini family business. The two would keep in touch by owl post over the next couple of years but they didn't meet up much since he was always too busy working.

Amelia Wood also achieved descent results but the highlight of her summer was being signed up by the Holyhead Harpies as their new star Chaser. When it came out that she was dating James Potter; WestGate Winged Horses renowned Keeper, the gossip columns couldn't get enough of their relationship. It was about that time when a certain journalist Rita Skeeter became interest in the lives of the Potter children. None of them were safe from appearing in her gossip column.

* * *

Returning to Hogwarts was a strange affair without Albus, Rose and everyone else they had known in that year. Maggie and Margarita's youngest brother Dorian started Hogwarts. He surprised his family by not being sorted into Slytherin or Gryffindor like his sisters, but Ravenclaw. Although he enjoyed spending time with his sisters, he found their conversations too grown up for him so he spent the majority of his time making friends in his own year.

Teddy still taught at Hogwarts but was only there from nine in the morning until five in the afternoon on week days. The remainder of his time was spent at his house in Hogsmeade with his wife and daughter. Delia's dad also managed to spend his weekends outside school since Hannah had two young children to take care of now that baby Terry had arrived, as well as a pub to run.

During their first day back, the sixth years met up with their Head of House's to choose their NEWT subjects. Lily managed to convince Professor Longbottom to let her take six subjects at NEWT level, Ancient Runes, Care of Magical Creatures, Defence Against the Dark Arts, Herbology, Potions and Transfiguration. She had to promise to drop one of them if the pressure became too much for her to handle. She still had the added responsibility of being Gryffindor Quidditch Captain.

Being Quidditch Captain, Lily was required to find two new chasers to replace Kenna and Amelia and a Keeper to take over Albus' spot. After a gruelling day of tryouts where only a handful of students showed any promise, the positions of Chaser were filled by forth years Sydney and Sofia Thomas who turned out to have a bizarre psychic link giving the team an edge. Alistair Craig with his quick reflexes became the youngest player in the Gryffindor first team. If the second year advanced the way Lily expected him to do over the years, Lily could see him being an International Quidditch star, being fought over by the best teams.

Lily slipped into her new routine quickly. She shared each of her subjects with at least one of her friends and Brian and Chester became a permanent part of the group now that Hugo and Delia were inseparable. However their group was never limited to the eight of them. Students of all ages and Houses came and went as they wished.

Lily's commitments proved tiresome but she was reluctant to give any of them up. Instead she found a solution by enlisting Hugo and Chester's help. They were thrilled to be given the opportunity to have a go at leading some of the training sessions. Lily also made the conscious decision to drop her Captaincy once the school year was over. She suspected that either Chester or Michaela Jordan would be offered the position so she let Michaela run the odd session as well.

When October came, Lily decided to have a go at dating again. Her brothers were no longer at Hogwarts to fight off any of her prospective suitors and Hugo wasn't going to intervene as he was too busy with his own love life to be bothered by anyone else's. Lily's first relationship that year was with Chester Thomas since he had broken up with his girlfriend Coleen Creevey over the summer. For the two to date, it seemed to be a natural progression of their friendship. Not surprisingly, their relationship didn't score her any points with her roommate Coleen. Lily took it in her stride and happily ignored the uncomfortable atmosphere whenever the two girls were in the same room.

As natural as it had been for them to develop into something more than friends, it was also natural for them to slip back into being just friends. So after only a fortnight, their romance ceased to be.

Lily's next relationship was a little more successful to begin with and the first to catch the attention of the menace; Rita Skeeter. Aiden Griggs was a seventh year Ravenclaw and the current Head Boy. He was also rather handsome with his red wine hair and eyes the colour of new leaves. He handled the attention from the press well at first but after a month he started to crave it more and more. Lily got fed up with him when he started to care more about what was in the papers about their relationship, than their actual relationship.

Maggie was buzzing when the Christmas Holidays arrived. She was able to see Albus for the first time in months. They were attempting a long distance relationship which was something new for Maggie since she loved receiving lots of attention from her boyfriends. Needless to say, Maggie basically moved in with the Potters that holiday since Albus was still living there while trying to save up the money for his own flat.

Christmas day saw Isaiah Wood proposing to Lily's cousin Lucy; A sixth month old Aimee enjoyed her first Christmas at the Burrow and Lily took great pleasure in lavishing her with toys. The infant had also grown out of the habit of imitating the appearance of the person holding her, which made her mother really happy. Victoire wasn't fond of the grey hair Aimee used to have when either of her Great-Grandmothers held her. Instead Aimee wore her hair a light bubblegum pink.

Despite the comment Teddy had made about not touching his wife again, Victoire announced that she was expecting her second child. It also came out that Dominique was pregnant with her and Henry's first child and their due dates weren't far apart. It seemed that baby Aimee was acting as a catalyst. After everyone discovering what a gem she was, they were all eager to start families of their own.

When school started up again, Lily started dating Joel Finch-Fletchley; a well spoken Hufflepuff in the year above. He was pretty much perfection, always making romantic gestures and lavishing her with attention. It was because of that, Lily decided to end the relationship. He was way too good for her considering her heart wasn't in it.

In February, Lily came of age. She attended the annual Valentine's Day Ball with her present boyfriend Kallin Nott. The Slytherin in her year was as intelligent as she was and shared her interest in Quidditch. Lily enjoyed being with him because they had a lot in common. He was the one to end their relationship when Rita Skeeter began writing stories about them in her gossip column. He loathed the attention so it wasn't fair on him if they stayed together.

Lily was grateful when a family member drew the attention of the tabloids away from her. Molly's engagement to Christopher Fudge was big news, much more so than when Lucy got engaged to Isaiah due to his fame on the Quidditch pitch. Christopher Fudge was a high flyer within the Ministry and was predicted to be the Minister of Magic one day. After the news, Lily and the rest of her family began receiving even more invites to Ministry held events. Now that she was of age, she chose to attend them whenever she had the time spare.

The rest of the term passed quickly and Gryffindor were all set to win the Quidditch cup once more. They were also second in the running for the House cup. Lily had spent the last week of term dating Peter Cox from the year above. She agreed to go out with him before getting to know him which turned out to be a huge mistake. By the time term ended, she made it quite clear that they weren't going to be seeing each other during the holidays or ever again if she had anything to do with it. He was a complete arse and even her friends hated him.

During the Easter Holidays, Lily had her first romantic fling with a muggle. Taylor Lauren lived just down the street and was about her brother James' age. Her brothers had never liked him but she dated him anyway, finally learning not to stop their opinions interfering with who she dated. She would date him until the time she chose differently! Although they had known each other since childhood, he had no idea she was a witch. He was a laugh to be with but he was very rigid in his beliefs. It soon came apparent that he would accept her for being a witch. Since that was something she wouldn't change even if she could, she allowed that relationship to fizzle out without a fight.

Her brothers didn't like her dating habits. However they couldn't argue when Lily pointed out that because her relationships were so brief, they ended before they got serious. Since they were both in serious relationships it was a bit hypercritical for them to be happy with that. But they no longer minded that she flitted between relationships as long as she didn't get serious with any of them.

Before Lily returned to Hogwarts for the final term of the school year, James was ecstatic to tell his family that he'd been chosen to represent England in the Quidditch World Cup next year. Isaiah Wood and Louis were also on the squad. Even Amelia was picked as a reserve.

Over the year, Lily and her classmates began learning to Appirate once they came of age. Surprisingly the one to get the hang of the procedure instantly was Delia. She was a natural at it. Jess also passed first time but she had to work at it. Margarita and Maggie passed their test second time around, Maggie having accidentally landing on some unsuspecting muggle and Margarita splinching herself. She left part of her hair behind. Instead of having it magically put back, Margarita decided to have her hair styled in a pixie cut. There would be no mistaking which twin was which from then on. Lily was dreadful at Appirating and hated everything about it. After her third failed attempt she decided that the mode of transport definitely wasn't for her. She just kept her broom near to hand instead.

When the school year came to an end, Lily told her team mates that she would be standing down as Quidditch Captain but that didn't mean she wouldn't be staying on the team if the new captain Croston also announced his retirement while Professor Davies would become the new Headmaster and Professor Thomas the Deputy Headmistress. That being the case, the students expected big changes to occur over the next year.

* * *

A week before Aimee turned one; baby 'Remy William Lupin' joined the family. Just over a fortnight later, Luc Jenkinson was born. The newest editions were fawned over just as much as Aimee.

In the middle of the summer holidays, Molly and Christopher had their Wedding. It was not held at the Burrow but in one of the large function rooms at the Ministry. Percy was as proud as punch when he walked his eldest daughter down the aisle.

Lily was also rendered dumbstruck that summer when she received a letter from Hogwarts informing her that she was Head Girl. It was not exactly what she wanted but it made her grandparents proud so she didn't openly complain. To add insult to injury, when she started her final year at Hogwarts, she found out that Jedediah Smith was the Head Boy. A fact her friends had a wail of a time teasing her about.

They also found it amusing that she had given up being Quidditch Captain so that she didn't have the added responsibility as she concentrated on her NEWTs, only to find that and even bigger responsibility had been dumped on her. Concerning Quidditch, Michaela Jordan became Quidditch Captain as predicted. Michaela was more than happy to have Lily remain as seeker. Despite everything else Lily had to juggle, she accepted Michaela's request.

With the new Headmaster and Deputy Headmistress came an exciting opportunity for all sixth and seventh years. They were able to sign themselves out during the weekends so that they could do what ever they wished between five pm on Friday and nine Sunday evening. Even Lily was able to have the odd weekend off despite her Head girl Duties.

From the very first day of term, Jedediah Smith caused her no end of trouble. It was well known's that Lily's namesake had fallen in love and married the Head Boy when she was Head Girl. Smith was trying to convince Lily that she should do the same and he was pompous enough to believe it was working.

Instead, Lily made a point by dating Tobias Jasper. Jaz was blonde, blue-eyed and ridiculously pretty for a boy. She was still convinced he was a closet gay but she enjoyed his company too much for her to confront him about it. He was easy to talk to and like her, always looked great so it didn't matter if the Press caught them unawares. It also helped that he adored her but never pressured her about where their relationship was heading.

Lily started inviting him to all the functions she attended during the weekends and holidays. Jaz also got on well with her brothers whom also attended the parties Lily was invited to. Albus always escorted Maggie to the events whilst James and Amelia went together. Louis and Jess often attended together although their relationship was still on the friendship level. Hugo and Delia sometimes came but usually they spent their weekends away from Hogwarts visiting places in Europe and Asia. Margarita would also go along to the Ministry events. She had a tendency to go with Brian, just as friends.

With all the events Lily and Jaz attended together, they received a lot of attention from the Press which Lily had now gotten used to. The key was to ignore the photographers and never buy a magazine or newspaper again. The couple soon became quite the fashion icons to the average teenage witch and wizard.

All sorts or rumours went around after they attended her cousin Roxanne's wedding together and Fred's engagement party a month later. He even attended Isaiah and Lucy's high profile wedding over Easter.

It was during the Easter holiday that the girls got together to spend time without the boys being around. They thought about it and decided that they would get a tattoo done to mark their friendship. Margarita had designed it; beautiful, delicate strings of colour representing each of the houses of Hogwarts, were intricately entwined.

They stopped at the muggle tattooist they'd paused at two years before. The same girl sat at the front desk and welcomed them in. Although she worked at a tattoo parlour, she didn't appear to have any herself which was not good advertisement really. The actual tattoo artists were another thing entirely; they were covered in beautiful pieces of art and some not so beautiful.

The girls chose to have their tattoos done in different places. The twins wanted it done on opposite shoulder blades while Jess picked the upside of her right foot. Delia on the centre of her back and Lily chose to have it done on the fleshy part of her tummy, just above her right hip bone. Since there were five tattooists, they were able to have them done together.

Lily sat perched on the edge of a chair leaning back awkwardly while the template was being applied to her skin. Delia lay flat on a kind of bed while Jess sat on another with her foot and the right height for her tattooist. Maggie and Margarita were the only ones who were able to sit comfortably on a chair.

"I never knew it was going to hurt this much. Why did I ever let you talk me into doing this?" Lily complained after only a few seconds and heard her tattooist grumble at her. That wasn't good customer skills, she thought.

"Stop whining Lily, at least you're not having it done on your foot." Jess laughed. She was taking the whole experience with good humour since she had wanted a tattoo for years. "So what if it hurts, it'll be worth it in the end."

Remembering where she was, Lily didn't clarify her words by telling Jess that she was talking about her convincing them all to go to a muggle tattooist. It would have hurt a lot less if they had access to the potions they used to block pain. "Well I have a low tolerance for pain. You know that."

"Talking about pain, you guys are starting to give me a headache." Maggie smirked and Lily had to smile.

When the tattoo was more than half way to completion, Lily saw Margarita watching Delia. "Is Delia really asleep?" She asked. Lily agreed that it did look as if Delia was asleep. She seemed so peaceful and unaware of the needles injecting ink into her skin.

Jess shook her head. "Nah she's doing her crazy meditation thing she picked up on her travels." She explained looking doubtfully at Delia.

"It's not crazy if it distracts her from the pain, why didn't she teach me how to do it?" Lily asked grumpily. She continued to try and get Delia's attention to ask for tips but got no response. Delia had blocked them all out.

Lily was happy when she was told that her tattoo was finished. There was no way she'd put herself through that again. Despite the pain, she was happy with the finished results and she would wear her tattoo with pride.

Back at school, they knuckled down studying for their NEWTs, it was even worse than it had been for their OWLs but they managed to get through it. Once it was all over, Lily was relieved that she could now get on with what she wanted to do while she had her exams to fall back on if her career in fashion design didn't work out. She now just had an agonising wait to find out her results.

On the last day of term Jaz also confessed what Lily had suspected all along. Although he wasn't ready for the news to get out, he had at least admitted to himself that he was gay. So to detract the attention of the Press from him, Lily purposefully allowed herself to be caught on camera leaving nightclubs with musician Walter Phoenix she knew through Amelia. As expected the rumours started flying again. After a few days of the Press trying to find out Jaz's views on the break up, he was left alone. Unfortunately this meant that Lily could spend much time with Jaz from then on.

The England Quidditch team had reached the semi finals, the best they'd done in a long time. They were to play against Russia while Germany played against Argentina. About a month before the Quidditch World Cup final held in France, Lily and a few of her friends and family were invited to a Ball hosted by the Ministry's Department of Games and Sports. Her brothers took Amelia and Maggie as there dates. Jess was there with Louis and Lucy with her husband Isaiah Wood. Lily's cousin Louis introduced her to his friend and French Quidditch star, Alain Moreau. Their mutual attraction was evident from their first meeting and Alain made an effort to see Lily as much as possible. It was inevitable really that the Skeeter woman wrote a story about Lily's developed taste in famous wizards. Lily didn't pay any attention to her, she was just happy enjoying herself with trips to Paris.

**I hope you enjoyed the update and I wish you all a very Merry Christmas! Scorpius will be back very soon. Promise Xx**


	37. C37: Beater's Bat

**I skimmed over Lily's previous two years since there was no Scorpius in it. I felt it was important to write about had been going on with Lily, her friends and family over that time. She didn't just sit there feeling sorry for herself, she went on with things. I'm sorry if some of you felt it was boring. I also want to warn you that some chapters will see quite a bit of time pass but not to the extent of chapter 36. (I only 12 more chapters to write including the epilogue!)**

**HAPPY NEW YEAR TO YOU ALL**

**Chapter 37: Beater's Bat. **

Lily sat back and watched the scene unfold with mild amusement. About half an hour ago she'd informed Alain Moreau that it wasn't a good idea for them to be together anymore. For the last half hour he had been ranting and raving in rapid French. Now Lily knew a few French words from her Aunt Fleur and it had been sufficient to get herself through her summer job there, but she couldn't keep up with what he was saying. A fact which she was quite happy with, she didn't need to know what he thought of her because she couldn't care less.

What she was interesting was his current behaviour. She couldn't believe he'd turned out to be such a spoiled brat, throwing a tantrum when he didn't get his own way. Being a famous Quidditch star had obviously gone to his head. Her two year old goddaughter was better behaved. Alain was so used to people fluffing his ego by telling him how wonderful they thought he was. It never crossed his mind that someone would his ego a knock by dumping him. Lily was glad that the fame hadn't gone to the heads of James and Louis like this, they would be unbearable.

Lily had had enough with his theatrics when the brunette began throwing things around his apartment and breaking them. She was immediately grateful that she had thought to break up with him at his apartment. She had originally thought it would go a little easier in his territory since he'd have the choice to throw her out. Now she was grateful she'd told him here and not at her hotel room because she would be tearing him a new one right now if he treated her belongings like that.

Making a beeline to the door, Lily left the apartment whilst Alain continued to rage behind her. She doubted he even noticed she was no longer in the room. Stepping out on to a street which was basically the French equivalent to Diagon Alley, Lily began to reflect on her relationships over the previous two years. She'd learnt a lot from them and believed that she was a stronger person than she had been at the age of sixteen because of them. She now knew what she wanted and what she definitely didn't in a relationship and other aspects of her life.

From the brief time she dated Chester Thomas, she learnt that she should only do something if it felt natural to her. A lesson she was going to put into practice from now on. She'd also learnt to deal with hostility from others when it came to her choice in boyfriend. Coleen and her group of Gryffindor girls hadn't liked Lily dating Coleen's ex. Before then, Lily had never really had to deal with hostility from more than one of her House mates. She found it easier to deal with than she'd expected. She didn't feel she needed everyone to like her anymore.

Her time spent in a relationship with Aiden Griggs taught her that she wanted to be in a relationship with someone who didn't crave the limelight. She couldn't abide it when people lied about her so that they got a story printed by Skeeter. She was also done with trying to hide things from her family. It was so much easier to be open and honest with them, otherwise they may start to believe there was some truth to the lies often reported about her. Joel Finch-Fletchley had taught her that relationships worked best if the amount a couple cared about each other was equal. She wanted someone who would adore her but only if she could adore them back. There was no point going along with anything if her heart wasn't in it.

Kallin Nott had taught her that she needed people in her life who could deal with the publicity being seen with her brings. Lily wasn't naïve enough to think that she could protect the people she cared about from Skeeter's vicious penmanship. They needed to be able to take everything with a pinch of salt and turn the other cheek when things were at their worst. It was a shame really that Kallin had been a bit of a loner and shied away from any attention, Lily had become quite attached to him during the time they'd dated.

It was also important that she surrounded herself with people she actually liked. Peter Cox had taught her that. She'd also discovered that her friends wouldn't turn their back on her if she decided to make decisions they didn't approve of. They hadn't abandoned her when she'd made the mistake of dating Cox, granted she saw the light quickly, but at least they had tried to tolerate him.

Being with Jaz had also reinforced the opinion that she should surround herself with people that she liked but in the opposite way Cox had. She got along with him really well although she never really considered Jaz to be an ex. They'd been more friends than actual boyfriend and girlfriend. There was no physical aspect to their relationship but they were exactly what the other had needed in their life at the time. Letting go of him had been difficult but it had been the right thing to do. Some things just didn't last forever.

Probably the most important thing she learnt from her ex's, she learnt from the muggle Taylor Lauren. She wouldn't change who she was just for some boy. She had a healthy dose of self respect. She liked who she was now and didn't enjoy people trying to mould her into something she wasn't. A fact which she was rather proud of.

Lily then turned her attention to her brief fling with Alain. She could add another criteria to her list of what she saw as important to her. That was self control. When thinking about it in context of a relationship she conceded that too much would be a bag thing. She enjoyed letting her hair down every once in a while, so to speak. She liked people who could do the same. What she didn't like was people loosing control of their behaviour like Alain had just done. Lily had long since managed to control her temper for the most part. It did still seep out occasionally when the people she loved were under fire, but she was only human after all. Compromise was also important. It couldn't go one person way all the time nor was it fair.

Musing over the qualities she liked in people, a thought unexpectedly occurred to her.

Suddenly feeling as if Hugo had hit the back of her head with his beaters bat, Lily froze.

There was one guy Lily knew that met all her criteria.

Scorpius Malfoy.

Collapsing into a nearby bench, Lily was stunned.

Surely she wasn't stupid enough to be still hung up on Scorpius Malfoy after all this time. There was no guarantee that he was the same person that he'd been then. She certainly wasn't.

The thought couldn't possible be true, could it?

Feeling as if that Beaters bat had slammed into the back of her head once more, Lily began to compare her boyfriends since Scorpius, with Scorpius.

Bringing Chester to mind, Lily couldn't find any comparison between the two except that they had both been on their House Quidditch team. When she thought about it further she acknowledged that she had been friends with Chester where as Scorpius and she had the potential of being friends. Chester was also a close friend to her cousin whereas Scorpius had been a close friend to her brother. She supposed there were similarities but she was probably thinking too deeply there. Unfortunately she couldn't deny that at points in her relationship with both of them, it had seemed as natural as breathing to her.

Surely the same couldn't be said about Aiden. No, if there had been any similarities between Scorpius and Aiden, Lily couldn't see them. Scorpius wasn't a fan of attention despite the fact that he often attracted it. He was the opposite of Aiden who went out of his way and even lied to get attention. Scorpius may have lied about the kind of person he was for self preservation but he'd never exploited anyone as far as Lily knew.

Confident that no more similarities would arise between her ex's, Lily thought about Joel Finch-Fletchley and cringed. They were very similar in the way that they treated her, especially when they were alone. They often made her feel like she was the only girl in the world, a fact which had encouraged Lily to break up with Joel. Maybe she had unconsciously seen the similarities there and couldn't deal with it just then.

The similarities between Scorpius and Kallin were a no brainer when Lily really started thinking about them. They were both Slytherin Prefects from ancient pure-blooded families. Their mannerisms were similar and they were both intelligent and disliked attention. Lily could definitely see the similarities there. She was also loathed to admit that Peter Cox was very much the git Scorpius had pretended to be. It was possible that she had unconsciously believed that he could have changed the way Scorpius had.

Lily was quite amazed that she'd managed to convince herself that she was over the Slytherin by the time she came to Taylor Lauren. Although the muggle was nothing like Scorpius, they did have one major thing in common. That was that they didn't get on with her brothers. Surely she hadn't dated him because of that similarity, Lily thought dolefully. From her track record she probably did.

Her mind swiftly turned to Jaz and she immediately wished they hadn't. Although their personalities were different, there was no denying the physical resemblance between the two. Their light blond hair was styled the same, their eyes both light. Even their face shape and features as well as their physique were similar. She really should have picked up on that sooner. She wondered why Rose or the twins hadn't pointed that out considering that they were in the know about her and Scorpius. Not that she would have believed them if they had.

Feeling quite the fool, Lily finally thought of Alain. The Frenchman certainly had Scorpius' arrogance but definitely lacked his self control.

Looking at each of her relationships like that, she realised that it was quite possible that she'd been attracted to them because they had reminded her of Scorpius in some way.

'How lame is that!" She muttered miserably under her breath.

Putting her love life aside, Lily walked over to a news vender and purchased a newspaper. Since it was not one Rita Skeeter had any input in, Lily thought she would be safe reading it. She wasn't that lucky.

The pages were dominated with articles about this afternoon's Quidditch World Cup final between England and Germany. There were also stories about the individual players. An entire page was dedicated to Lily's brother James. It was all about his engagement to fellow team-mate Amelia Wood. How that was relevant to the sport, Lily couldn't fathom. The engagement had occurred a fortnight ago and it was already common knowledge that Amelia's brother was married to James' cousin.

Shaking her head, Lily read on hoping to find something of interest within its pages that wasn't gossip about her family.

There wasn't really, although she was rather displeased to see that she made an appearance. There was a photograph of her and Alain arguing. Lily flung the paper in the nearest bin. She had no interest on reading what the paper said the reasons behind that argument were. She remembered it and supposed that his behaviour then should have prepared her for the show earlier.

He'd gone off on one when she had refused to go to the final with him since she was already going with her family and friends and didn't really want him to meet her parents. She now had good reason not to introduce them. Her cousins would tear him to pieces if they saw him behave like he had.

With little left to do, Lily headed to the portkey office with hopes of getting an earlier portkey to the campsite. Spending the rest of the morning getting ready for the World Cup and spending time with her family sounded like a wonderful idea now that she had got rid of her latest boyfriend.

x

As luck would have it, Lily did managed to get an earlier portkey to the campsite. After Lily greeted the French Ministry Officials on duty at the site, she headed towards the muggle owner of the campsite. He was a jolly looking fellow with a slight beard and a round belly. She sent him a dazzling smile in greeting and he had a dazed look about him when he grinned back at her. He shook himself out of it and held up his clipboard.

Lily greeted him in French but didn't fool him. "English eh?" He began in broad English dialect that sounded peculiar on the Frenchman's lips. "I bet you're happy as Larry that your team got to th' finals. I hear their history ain't good against the Germans. Maybe this will be their year eh?"

Lily's eyes widened in surprise that he knew so much. He read her expression well having probably had similar reactions all day. "Me wife's a witch and an English one at that! She's a good'un she is. Filled me in on that Quidditch game of yours. It sounds thrilling but I guess I'll be seeing it for meself pretty soon. Got me a band she did!" He finished brandishing the yellow band around his wrist.

Lily suddenly understood. Muggles were now allowed to attend wizarding events if accompanied by a witch or wizard. It was one of the Ministry's ways to try and integrate people's non magical relatives into magical society and attempt to battle the prejudices. The yellow wristband allowed the wearer to pass through the anti-muggle wards safely. Many of the ancient pureblooded families weren't happy with the development but many of the pro-pureblood laws had now been abolished universally.

"I'm sure you'll enjoy it as much as you do watching your muggle sports." Lily assured him. She herself had been introduced to muggle sports by Taylor but he hadn't even bat an eyelid when she mentioned she didn't know much about his Football or Rugby.

"Aye, so my wife says." The man grinned with excitement.

Lily chuckled. She wondered whether his wife had taught him English as well since she doubted he'd learnt it in such a way during school. She could be mistaken though.

"We better get you settled in, name please?" He asked cheerfully.

"I'm Lily Potter, my family may already be here under the reservation for Weasley." Lily explained since she couldn't remember which name her family had used when they made the booking.

The man shuffled through his notes. "I see thee. Nine tents under the name of Weasley. You're in Plot D, easy to find you only have to follow the signs. They'll lead you all the way. I also have down that your family has already arrived and paid for the nights. A large family you got there, it must be nice."

"It has its advantages, there are never any dull moments that's for sure. I better be off, it's been nice seeing you. I hope you enjoy the match this afternoon." Lily said with a wave as the man turned to his next customer. She made her way to where her family were setting up camp using the clearly signposted maps, stopping now and then to greet people she knew from school.

Making her way across the fields, Lily was impressed with how well dressed people were considering they were in muggle clothes which was not the norm for them. The last World Cup Lily had attended had been when she'd been six years old. It had been hosted by New Zealand and the final had been between Australia and Ireland. Although Lily didn't remember much of the game, she could recall the peculiar tastes in clothes witches and wizards had. It was actually the photos she had of that day which inspired her to create her clothing range which concentrated on selling muggle-styled clothes to the Magical community. Lily recognised many of the outfits worn by the English supporters especially. No wonder Lucy had mentioned that their stocks were low, the outfits had all been purchased for attending Quidditch matches over the duration of the competition!

Lily heard her family before she saw them. Her cousins Fred and Roxanne could be heard over the rest, making wagers over the outcome of the match. As Lily moved closer she saw nine tents set up in a large circle with an open area of grass in the middle.

Fred and Roxanne stood among a group of their partner's and friends who were sharing a tent with them. They talked to an official looking wizard who was making a record of their bets. From who would win, to who would score first and which team would gain the most fouls. They made bets over everything spending a small fortune. Even Lily's Uncle George was getting involved in the action until his wife sent him a look of disapproval. He then busied himself talking to Oliver Wood and his wife Katie whom were bunking in one of the tents with them along with their youngest son and his friend. Their son and daughter Isaiah and Amelia were bunking with the rest of the England Quidditch Team.

Lily's Grandmother and Andromeda Tonks had obviously turned their noses up at the idea of cooking over the open fire outdoors and were in one of the tents, if the smell of roasting pork was anything to go by.

Entering the clearing Lily noticed some of her other family members. Her heavily pregnant cousin Molly, was sat in what looked like an armchair and was being fussed over by her parents, husband and his parents. Lily knew that they would all be stopping in the grander looking tent that was surrounded by pots of flowers. Lily wondered what her Grandfather had said about that but she guessed it wasn't that important if the owner of the site knew about magic through his wife.

Lily's Uncle Percy had been boasting all week that he had seats for some of them in the box with the British Minister for Magic. That was until he found out that Harry, Ron, Hermione and Ginny also had seats in the same box. Lily wished she could have seen his face. According to Lucy it had been quite the picture.

Lucy wasn't sitting with her parents and she had turned down the opportunity to sit with the other 'wives' and 'husbands' of the teams. Instead she was sitting with Lily and the rest of the party who weren't in the Minister's box or that family box that was reserved for those with young children.

Thinking about the children, Lily soon spotted her goddaughter and her family. Victoire and Dominique sat in chairs slightly more appropriate for camping than Molly's armchair. They were sipping non-alcoholic cocktails and discussing the benefits of being pregnant again. They could relax while their husbands did all the work.

Their husband's were holding their son's trying to figure out which one was Remy and which one was Luc. Remy was currently imitating his cousin's brown locks and brown eyes which was causing their fathers no end of confusion and the one-years olds lots of amusement.

Glancing at their mothers and seeing that they were unconcerned that their sons couldn't be told apart, Lily guessed they knew exactly which one was which and were waiting for their husbands to admit that they couldn't.

Two-year old Aimee was entertaining herself. Dressed in a white dress covered in red roses and was riding the toy broomstick designed for toddlers. Lily had given her for her birthday and it was quite safe since the broom only rose enough so that her toes skimmed across the grass.

"Aunt Lili" Aimee yelled gleefully when she noticed Lily enter the circle. "Looky Looky, I fly!" She exclaimed and looked so proud of herself, Lily thought she was the most adorable two-year old in the world.

"Oh wow!" Lily gasped and clapped her hands so that Aimee started giggling. "Just look at you go. You're so much better than Uncle Louis and Uncle Jamie."

Aimee began laughing hysterically at that. Hands letting go of her broom to wrap around her waist, Lily had to catch her goddaughter before she rolled onto the grass and dirtied her pretty dress. "You silly Aunt Lili! No one better than them. Uncle Louis and Uncle Jamie are best ever." Aimee giggled in Lily's arms.

"No one's better than Uncle Louis and Jamie, Sweetheart? Is that how it is?" Teddy asked his daughter having overheard her exclamation. He cradled his purpled haired son in his arms since the infant had got tired of his father fawning over Luc instead of him.

Aimee twisted in Lily's arms and smiled toothily at her dad. Shaking her head, her bubblegum pink curls wafted around her. "Silly Daddy! Mummy and Daddy bestest. I talks of flying." She said as if it was the most obvious thing in the world.

"That's ok then." Teddy said stooping to kiss his daughter on the cheek. He shifted his son's weight so that he held Remy in one arm and reached out to Aimee with the other. She went peaceful from Lily to Teddy as he explained: "You're in that tent there, the others are in there now."

After a quick catch up session Lily entered the tent she'd be sharing with her cousins Rose and Lucy along with her friends Jess, Delia and the twins. Lifting up the tent flap, Lily was unsurprised to see that it was a lot bigger than how it looked from the outside. There was a large communal area and it branched off in several places where the bedroom and bathrooms were.

What Lily was surprised about, was that it wasn't just the girls in there. Her brother Albus was there along with Harrison, Hugo, Chester and Brian. They were all gathered around a large pile of merchandise they'd obviously purchased. Moving models of the players, red and white hats in support of England, badges, rosettes, posters and several pairs of Omniculars.

Lily joined them and caught up with what was going on. James, Amelia and Isaiah had been there earlier in the morning but had been escorted away to join the rest of their team. One of the usual Chasers was ill with Dragon Pox so Amelia was going to fill in for today's match. Lily was thrilled by the news and bet Amelia was as well, if a little nervous.

They all seemed pleased when Lily announced that she was no longer with Alain. Apparently they had all been having a go at Louis for introducing them. They'd all guessed what kind of a person he was but hadn't shared it with her. Lily made them promise to tell her if they thought something was a little of with her boyfriends from then on.

They were soon called for lunch and they all gathered outside to eat the delicious feast that had been prepared for them. Aimee decided she needed to be near Lily and attached herself to her godmother after lunch. This made cleaning up and getting ready for the match difficult so somehow Lily managed it.

"Time to go see Uncle Louis and Uncle Jamie fly!" Teddy told his daughter around two o'clock.

When Teddy tried to take Aimee from Lily this time, Aimee hung on to Lily for dear life. "No! Aunty Lili takes. I go with Lili." She complained tearfully startling both Teddy and Lily.

"But Aunty Lili isn't sitting with us. She goes with Uncle Alby and her friends." Teddy tried to explain but his daughter began sobbing, still grabbing at Lily's yellow sundress with her tiny fists.

"I. wants. Lili." She wailed.

Not wanting Aimee to get even more upset, Lily tried to compromise. "How about I carry you to your seats. Then I leave you with Nana and Papa Weasley, and I'll go join Uncle Alby? I need to be there so he doesn't get in trouble. How does that sound?" She said as she stroked the girl's back soothingly.

Aimee's forehead creased as she thought over Lily's suggestion as the two adults watched on anxiously. "Ok. You takes me and I stay with Nana and Papa. You may go looking after Uncle Alby." She said finally, nodding her head and stopping the tears.

A look of sheer relief came over Teddy. "Are you sure that's ok?" He asked out of politeness.

"It'll be fine, I'll just get one of the others to save me an aisle seat." Lily explained and sorted out arrangements with her friends.

x

Lily carried Aimee to the family box which the three infants shared with their parents, grandparents on their mothers' side, along with three of their great grandparents. Henry's side of the family being absent since they weren't sport fans. Aimee stuck by the deal she made with Lily and didn't complain when she went to her own seat.

The box was set up in grids of six seats along and three row down with a walkway between each grid. Lily found her family spotting her Uncle George first. It wasn't hard to miss the huge England top hat he was wearing, no wonder he was sat on the back row with his wife and the Wood family.

Jamie Wood's friend Archie Green noticed Lily and waved indicating that her seat was just down the steps from him. Patting him on the shoulder as she passed, Lily found her seat just off the aisle on the front row next to her cousin Lucy and in front of Rose. The match wasn't going to begin for a while since people were still getting to their seats, Lily turned to chat with her family and friends.

Rose sat next to her boyfriend Harrison who was deep in conversation with Albus about all the fancy Quidditch moves they'd attempted and how the Omniculars would capture them to their greatest advantage. They were already planning a family tournament one weekend once the World Cup was over. Rose and Maggie sat at either side of their men, tried to look interested but it was pretty clear that they weren't following the conversation since neither of them really liked Quidditch.

Hugo and Delia occupied the two remaining seats on the middle row. All decked out in red and white, Hugo was explaining to Delia how to use her Omniculars. It was quite impressive that their latest edition could record the entire match to watch as many times as they wished, from all angles. They were linked to a series of Omniculars already set up around the pitch.

Chester and Brian sat on the front row just below the couple and were also discussing Quidditch with Margarita who sat in front of her twin. Jess was also joining in and unlike previous years Jess was taking an active role in the conversation as they discussed which tactics England should use against Germany. As soon as she started dating an International Quidditch player, she'd made a point of studding the sport.

"England has the strongest attacking side but I don't think much of Fletcher and Robins." Chester was saying.

"They don't cut it as International Beaters, not compared to Lehr and Balzer." Brian agreed miserably.

"It's good that James is a better Keeper than Wieser. Wieser isn't all that good and her relies heavily on their defence. If our Chasers manage to keep attacking then they should score lots of goals." Jess boasted thinking of Louis and Amelia when she referred to 'our chasers.'

Margarita nodded in agreement. "It's their Seeker Kraus who England need to worry about. I haven't seen a better one, Sorry Lily but it's true." Margarita said when she noticed Lily had joined them and was looking their way.

"That's ok Margarita." Lily shouted over cheerfully, "I'd be the first to admit that I'm never going to make it as a professional Seeker. I may have got far in Hogwarts but in the real world the standard is way too high." She pointed out, receiving a raised eyebrow from her cousin Lucy.

"If you put your mind to it you could be that good. It's just you've set your heart on a different career entirely." Lucy muttered under her breath which had Lily smirking. If any of the others heard her remark, they didn't comment on it.

Lily still hadn't admitted to the rest of her family that she planned to and was already designing her own range of clothing. She was waiting for her NEWT results and to get a few things organised before she let them know. Lily turned back on her seat only to catch sight of the person occupying the seat across the aisle.

Feeling as if she'd received two simultaneous hits from a beater's bat; one to her chest and the other to her gut, the air left her lungs with a big whooshing sound. She saw and recognised in the same instant. He was immediately all she could see since everything else was obsolete. Dressed from head to toe in black, he was certainly a sight to behold. Scorpius Malfoy sat only a foot away from her.

From his leather jacket to his dragon-hide boots, he emanated a bad-boy aura that Lily found irresistible. She really hoped it was all for show since her Scorpius, the one she remembered and hung onto, wasn't a bad boy at heart. He seemed so different as he sat back so nonchalant in his chair. She acknowledged that he was bound to have hanged over the years and decided to study him further.

His blonde hair was different to how she remembered it. It was whiter and softer as it draped around his face in silky waves, licking at his jaw; a jaw that was more square than she recalled. Lily's fingers flexed as she had the sudden urge to run her fingers through his hair, to test whether it truly was softer than she remembered. Somehow she managed to resist.

His face was more masculine and a little less angelic, but Lily couldn't find anything to lament about that. She still found him really attractive. She wished she could get a full look at his face but that would mean him catching her gawking at him and she couldn't have that.

The haze that caused everyone but him to disappear, began to clear. Lily was all too aware of her heart pounding rapidly in her chest and her limbs a little shaky. She hadn't planned on seeing him again so soon after her realisation this morning, she wasn't prepared.

Realising that she was still staring at the blond with her mouth slightly open, Lily took a deep breath and looked to the people around him. Scorpius was sat next to a girl around his age, who was perched forward in her seat, leaning against the railing and looking around in awe.

She kept turning to Scorpius and the person at the other side of her whom she was blocking from Lily, and firing questions at tem. Her soft brown curls sprang playfully with the movement. Lily felt a stab of jealousy as her heart felt as if it stopped and her stomach churned unpleasantly. Scorpius looked fondly at the brunette when he answered any her questions.

Lily suddenly felt silly for not preparing herself for seeing him with another woman. It had been over two years since she and him had split up, of course he would have moved on like she thought she had done.

Lily knew now that she should stop staring at them but she couldn't help but examine the girl who had captured Scorpius' heart. She was very pretty with a round face surrounded by soft curls. There was something familiar about the girl but all Lily could think about was how her bambi eyes and rosebud lips reminded her a bit of Delia. That was the only reason she could come up with since she looked nothing like the Slytherin girls Scorpius had ever hung around with during school.

If Lily hadn't been paying as much attention to the girl, she probably wouldn't have noticed the yellow band around her wrist identifying her as a muggle. This surprised Lily and made her certain that it was the girl's resemblance to Delia that had Lily thinking that she'd met her before.

Although Lily felt utterly miserable that Scorpius had found someone else, she was glad the girl was a muggle. It meant that he was being more open about the type of person he was and was no longer hiding behind his mask. Lily took some comfort in that since she would have hated him to continue pretending to be who everyone thought he was.

Knowing that she was as great risk of someone seeing her staring at them, Lily spun pack in her seat accidentally knocking her handbag to the floor. The clatter had heads turning her way.

"Lily?" Someone who wasn't one of her family or their friends shouted.

Startled Lily stood up just as someone made their way down the aisle Scorpius sat on. Recognising the man coming towards her, she wrapped her arms around his waist when he pulled her into a tight hug. She was so grateful for the distraction since she felt as if tears were welling up over the fact that she'd missed her chance with Scorpius. She wouldn't ruin things for him if he had moved on, she wasn't that selfish.

"Oh gosh." Lily gasped stopping her tears as all the air rushed out of her lungs.

"Hey Duanne, how've you been?" She asked once he'd released her. She grabbed the rail for support, not wanting how unsteady she was feeling with Scorpius so close by. She focused on Duanne. He hadn't changed much in the last two years, maybe gained a couple of inches in height and a few pounds of muscle. Facially he'd not really altered, he was still as handsome as ever. She managed to smile at him.

"Not bad, not bad. Been reading all about you and that Moreau guy." He grinned and adjusted the England hat he wore in support for his home team. He wore a devilish grin on his face as he winked down at her.

Lily muttered something unintelligible in response which drew out a booming laugh from the former Slytherin in response. Lily gratefully allowed his presence to calm her. "Ah, so it's like that then." He chuckled. "Dispatched of another one have you?"

Lily rolled her eyes. "You needn't put it like that," She grumbled at first but her tone got breezy when she added trying not to glance down at the blonde only inches away from them. "But yes. I'm free and single once more."

"So all the single males should watch out then, eh?" He asked cheekily and gave her a gentle nudge with his elbow.

Her smile was genuine now. "Nah, I'm going to concentrate on more important things." Lily added failing to stop herself from glancing down at the blonde's head. Scorpius was currently facing the pitch but didn't seem to be paying any attention to her conversation with Duanne. That Scorpius was completely ignoring her stung but she didn't let Duanne see that. If he noticed her gaze falter, he kept the knowledge to himself.

"I'll believe that when I see it!" Duanne grinned, patting her fondly down on her back. For the first time she saw Scorpius react, he turned his back to her and talked to his girl. Lily continued as if she hadn't noticed Scorpius' actions.

Lily knew exactly why Duanne had said what he'd said and she wasn't happy about it. It was because of the menace Rita Skeeter and her trigger happy photographer who was pairing her with any wizard she happened to meet from the age of seventeen to thirty. She claimed them to be her love interest when in truth, she'd met them only the once- when the photo had been taken. "You shouldn't believe everything you read in the paper about me!" She told him.

Duanne of all people should know not to trust what was in the papers. He'd had a number of false accusations made about him in the past; fights that never happened and quotes he'd never said. He winced. "Touché."

Lily glanced back at her family and friends. They were all talking amongst themselves and none of them seemed to be paying any attention to them, not even Duanne's sisters. Lily would be surprised if they'd even noticed their older brother was in the same box as them, so enthralled they were by the excited chatter surrounding them.

As if to make it up to her, Duanne continued, drawing Lily's attention back to him. "You free Monday evening to catch up?"

Since Lily had basically cleared her schedule from now until her NEWT results arrived, she shrugged. She'd cleared it so that she could continue looking for a base to set up her own shop for her clothing label. Lucy was looking for another job and two cousins planned to go into business together. Lily still wanted to deal with the owner of Madam Malkin's for her more traditional designs, but wanted to have her own store to host her other ranges and had ambitions to expand. She currently only really designed outfits for adults and teenagers sixteen and over. Eventually she'd like to have a go at designing clothes for children. She was also interested in renting a flat but that was of lower priority.

"Should be if you can cope with the rumours it will no doubt spark." Lily said both to tease and to warn. "I doubt this match will run on. Anyways, I actually have a business proposition for you."

Duanne's ears twitched with interest. "If that's the case, we can make it a business lunch rather than meet up in the evening."

"That'll be fine!" Lily agreed and found herself glancing at the muggle girl who was watching them with a frown on her face. Lily managed to get a close look at the brunette. She had the niggling feeling they'd met before again but this time wasn't convinced it had anything to do with the girl reminding her a little of Delia.

The way the girl was frowning as she looked between Duanne and Lily gave Lily hope. She could have been wrong when she assumed the girl was with Scorpius, maybe she was with Duanne. Turning her questioning gaze to Duanne, Lily arched a crimson brow at him.

Reading her expression he suddenly looked appalled at himself. He turned to the brunette and grabbed her hand, helping her pass Scorpius when she got to her feet. "How rude of me. Lily this is my dear friend Ollie Jones, Ollie this is Lily Potter!" He announced pleasantly.

Lily's eyes widened in surprise when several memories suddenly slotted into place. Duanne had been writing to an Ollie during their school days. She wondered if it was the same Ollie and then remembered Duanne's words after he'd kissed her at the Valentine's Day Ball about two and a half years ago. _"But you're beautiful! The most beautiful **witch** I have ever seen. I should have felt…something"_ Lily hadn't thought much about the emphasis on the word _witch_ before. She recalled he had also made a comment about needing therapy. Coming from a pure-blooded family, his parents wouldn't take too well to their eldest son dating a muggle. No wonder he'd kept her secret, though their secret would be out soon despite them interacting in a way that claimed them to be only friends. You only needed to look at the fire burning in their eyes to now that they meant a lot more to each other than friends.

Lily refrained from looking back at his sisters to make sure they were still oblivious of them. She wasn't sure if they knew since neither of them had mentioned anything about this to Lily. Instead she smiled at Ollie. She was a bonnie wee thing about a foot shorter than Duanne. "Lovely to see you."

"You too," Ollie returned and a puzzled expression graced her face when she got a good look at Lily.

"I think I've met you before!" Lily mentioned, expressing what Ollie had been thinking.

As soon as Lily confirmed Ollie's suspicions, her whole face lit up in a smile. "Of course! You came to get a tattoo done, I never knew you were a witch!" She said the last sentence in a hush tone as if it was a huge secret.

Lily suddenly recognised Ollie as the receptionist at the tattoo studio, the one who didn't seem to have any tattoos. She looked so different dressed in the red and white sundress, than she had in the leather jacket and red tartan skirt she'd been wearing the last time Lily had seen her. Lily also remembered that she'd seen the two talking several years before and could hardly contain her relief that Ollie was _Duanne's Ollie_ and not Scorpius'. Her smile like up her whole face.

"You have a tattoo?" Duanne asked in disbelief. Lily began grimacing since she had no idea whether he knew about the additions to his sister's skin and she didn't want to be the one to tell him. Ollie clamped her mouth shut aware that she'd said something she shouldn't have.

Luckily an announcement was made just then by the French Minister. He declared the appearance of the German team "Weiser, Behn, Fein, Thiele, Lehr, Balzer _annnnd_ Kraus!" followed by the English players. "Potter, Watson, Weasley, Wood, Fletcher, Robins _annnnd_ Swan!

"I'll catch up with you later." Lily muttered quickly and they all scrambled to their seats. Lily clapped loudly along with the England supporters as their team flew onto the pitch. Moments later the match began and more cheers erupted from the crowds.

Sitting back in her seat, Lily palmed the lily pendant she'd not taken off since the day she put it on. While she watched the Quidditch Final progress, she couldn't prevent her thoughts or her eyes drift to Scorpius. Knowing that it was a possiblility that he was single, she was determined to find a way to talk to him in private.

The sooner the better considering the cold shoulder he was giving her. She had to see him after the match since she didn't know when their paths would cross again. She would probably have to corner him since what chance did she have of getting him to talk to her if he wouldn't even look at her.

All she knew was that she needed to find out whether she'd left it too late to make amends, if he would forgive her and give her another chance so they could finally find out whether or not things could work out between them. If she had left it to late, then she'd have to concentrate her efforts moving on completely.

**Scorpius is back - does a happy dance (I know it was only a little bit but the next chapter is mostly Lily and Scorpius). I was just wondering who you think should win the final: England or Germany?**


	38. C38: The Power of a Name

_Chapter 38 is finally here. I want to do a story shout out. **Juliet Deveraux **has updated her story **Dangerous Intentions **and it's made me so happy! Her work inspired me to write this story so if you love Lily x Scorpius, I recommend you read her fics._

_Although most reviewers wanted England to win, a few wanted Germany to win instead. I have therefore written two versions when it comes to the end of the match. While writing it I decided I preferred it when Germany won but nevertheless I hope you enjoy reading._

* * *

**Chapter 38: The Power of a Name**

Lily sat watching the game and cheered as Amelia Wood finally took Melinda Watson's place as Chaser. It had been rumoured that Amelia would be on from the start but Watson must have insisted that she start since she was the most senior Chaser on the reserve list. The score stood at 150:60 in England's favour and had been going on for an exhausting six hours now. Nevertheless, the crowds were still going crazy and taking full advantage of their nearest food stand.

"Lily will come with me." Lily heard Rose say confidently from behind her.

Knowing that Rose had been discussing who was going to go to the food stall since none of them had eaten anything since lunch, Lily turned to her cousin with a frown on her face. "Why does it have to be me? I actually like Quidditch." She complained, not wanting to miss the match no matter how frustrating it was to watch. There had been a few close calls where Kraus had almost caught the snitch but England's Beaters had surprisingly managed to run him off course. England needed at least a one hundred and sixty point advantage to win but only a one hundred and fifty point advantage to take the game to penalties. There was not doubt in Lily's mind that Kraus would catch the snitch.

Rose sighed in exasperation. "Because you want to come with me." She said with such certainty that Lily's curiosity piqued, but not enough to have her leave her seat.

"I do?" She asked raising her eyebrows just to show a little protest. It was the look in her cousin's eyes had her begrudgingly committing herself to join Rose. "Fine I guess I'll come and help. The snitch better not be caught while we're there though." Lily finished with a sigh as she got up to follow Rose.

As they headed to the food stall, they were joined by Jamie Wood's friend Archie, Fred, and Roxie's husband Armand. All of whom, were off to buy food for those on their row.

Rose linked arms with Lily and slowed their pace so they lagged behind the rest of the group. "Not so fast. I have something to say to you which I doubt you'll want the others knowing." She whispered mysteriously.

"Ah. So you've dragged me away from a once-in-a-lifetime game so that you can have a natter. That's great Rose." Lily sighed.

Rose huffed haughtily. "Don't act as if you've been engrossed in the match." She began in a superior tone. "I know better."

Lily winced at her cousin's observation. She'd obviously not been discreet in her ogling of her former boyfriend. She really hoped that Rose knowing their history was the only reason she picked up on her behaviour. That she hadn't been blatantly obvious about being completely hung up over the blonde.

Rose watched the distance between them and the rest of their group grow and then added. "Anyway, I wanted to say that you two are unbelievable."

"Who two?" Lily inquired immediately puzzled. She'd been prepared for a scolding off Rose, not some cryptic observation.

"You and Scorpius of course. Honestly Lily, get with it." Rose stated plainly and rolled her eyes.

Lily stopped and they jerked to a stop. Rose clearly wasn't impressed with Lily's sudden movements judging by her expression before Lily asked. "What about me and Scorpius?"

Rose smiled triumphantly now that she had her cousin's undivided attention. Unfortunately she didn't reply quickly enough for Lily's taste. "What is it about Scorpius and I that you find so unbelievable?" She asked more urgently.

"You don't know? No I suppose you wouldn't. You didn't quite have the view I did." Rose observed clearly enjoying herself, much to Lily's irritation.

"Are you being difficult just to annoy me Rose?"

"Sorry." Rose began apologetically although it was good for her to know that Lily was keenly interested about knowing more about the former Slytherin. "I was just thinking how unbelievable you both are- staring at the other when the other's not looking. It was almost as frustrating as the match - seeing how close you each got to catching the other out."

"Scorpius was staring at me?" Lily asked in disbelief.

"Yes. I wouldn't lie about it." Rose assured her.

Lily frowned as she processed the news. "I thought he wasn't even aware that I was there, he wouldn't acknowledge me- not even when I was talking to Duanne. Not that I blame him." Lily rambled one.

She acknowledged that just because he was staring at her, it didn't mean that lingering positive feeling towards her drove his behaviour. Trying not to build her hopes up, Lily turned towards her cousin. "You're still friends with him aren't you, I mean, you keep in contact regularly?" Lily asked warily.

"We are friends yes."

"What's he like now?" She inquired not at all minding how eager she sounded to hear more about him. She trusted Rose and wanted her to elaborate and tell her more about the man she was still in love with. With a little more information Lily would hopefully be able to judge how receptive Scorpius would be if Lily asked him whether they could start again. If he would at least consider it or reject her flat out.

"He's not that much different than he was before." Rose began with a shrug. It was clear from her expression that she was pleased Lily had asked and Lily took hope from that. It was possible that Rose knew more about Scorpius' feelings towards Lily than she was letting on. "Well that's to say he isn't that different to how he was in front of me when we were away from everyone else. In some ways he's a lot happier than in school. He can be himself and he doesn't get hassled for it at work. There were a few people who where apprehensive about his starting at the Ministry but he's settled in well over the years."

"He works for the Ministry?" Lily asked startled. She'd always assumed that he would end up working in the Malfoy family business.

"Yes. He works for mum in the Department of Magical Law Enforcement; the Identification and Confiscation of Dark Objects." Rose explained.

"He works for Aunt Hermione? Really?" She asked unable to contain her surprise. It also surprised her what line of work he was in. She wondered how his grandfather felt his only grandson openly going against the path Lucius had himself set. Destroying Dark objects rather than collecting them.

"For two years now. He got one of the internships after achieving top marks in his NEWTS."

As Lily processed the news she realised something else which she couldn't help but ask her cousin about. "So he works with Al if he's dealing with Dark Objects?" Rose nodded confirming Lily's suspicions.

If Scorpius was working in the Department of Law Enforcement, there was no way he would be able to avoid coming in contact with Aurors. That being the case, he came into contact with more family members than her Aunt Hermione, Rose and Albus. That had her wanting to fire many more questions at Rose but what she was most interested in, was how Albus was getting along with him.

Scorpius had often talked about someday wanting to put things right between him and Albus. "How's that going? I mean- has Scorpius managed to put thing right with Al?"

Rose smiled as she thought about the two men. "They're working on it. They're friends again but it's not like they used to be. Still, Scorpius is trying and Al can see that." Rose said fondly.

Lily smiled briefly, If Scorpius was working things out with Al then maybe he'd be open to working things out with her as well.

"Does James know?" Lily pressed, moving on to her next concern. Her brother's opinions of Scorpius had always been prominent in her mind, not that she was going to let them hold her back anymore. She was determined to make things work with Scorpius if he'd let her, without her brothers' approval.

"Yes. Why?"

"Well I was just wondering how he reacted. No one told me that Al and Scorpius were trying to work things out."

Rose sighed before she pointed out. "They wouldn't tell you Lily. Albus still thinks you hate Scorpius and you've been busy yourself." Lily winced, it was true that she'd been too preoccupied with her own life to actually ask what was really going on in the lives of everyone else.

"But to answer your question: James is being unusually blasé about the whole thing. I expected him to freak out and go into protective big brother mode. I thought he'd try and convince Albus not to trust him but he didn't. He actually tolerates him whenever they meet, not that that's often." Rose explained in a puzzled tone, and the revelation shocked Lily to her core.

That kind of behaviour really was peculiar coming from James. It was true that he was less hot-headed and more reasonable than he used to be, but Lily couldn't have imagined in her wildest dreams, him reacting in that way, especially where Scorpius was concerned. "What made James act that way?"

"I have no idea," Rose admitted honestly. "But something certainly had him changing his opinion of him. They've been at peace since Scorpius and Al began working together. It's as if he knows something I don't and it's been quite perplexing. I asked him about it once but he said he had no idea what I was talking about. I know very well that he did, but he keeps evading the question."

"He really has grown up hasn't he." Lily said with a hint of pride and Rose chuckled.

"Haven't we all." She mused. "We better hurry up and get the food or they'll be wondering what we've been doing." At Rose's direction the two girls sped up to join the others in the queue. Once their hands were filled with bags of Pumpkin Pasties and bottle of Butterbeer, they returned to their seats and distributed their wares.

x

Lily was so engrossed in her thoughts, mulling over her conversation with Rose, that she did not see the bludger hurtling their way after getting past Ernest Fletcher. She did however, hear the belated shouts of alarm coming from her surrounding family and friends after they finally noticed it, their attention being elsewhere. Unfortunately their warnings did not give enough time for her to react, nor did any of them get out their wands in time.

Eyes widening at the advancing ball when her family's shouts alerted her to it, Lily's body seemed to forget how to move. She mused over how ironic it was that several times today she'd felt battered by a Beaters bat and now a bludger was going to give it a go.

Clamping her eyes shut, that thought stayed with her as strong hands grabbed her from the side pulling her to the floor. She heard her seat shattering at the force of the collision and Rose's spell to send the bludger zooming back onto the pitch where it belonged. There were also a lot of exclamations from the crowd around her and flashing lights in the distance but they all faded into the background.

Lying on her back, adrenaline coursed through her causing her body to shudder and a continuous whooshing noise to sound in her ears. She knew she was safe but that didn't stop her heartbeat from hammering. Although only mere seconds passed it seemed a lot longer since everything was happening in slow motion now.

She felt the weight of the body on top of her, shielding her protectively. It seemed familiar just as the scent of their aftershave filled her with ease. "Are you trying to get yourself killed." A male voice hissed and Lily felt his minty breath tickle her lips.

Although it had been years since she heard that voice, she recognised it at once. She couldn't describe how good it made her feel to have him near. Just like Rose implied, he must feel something good about her if he saved her. Her chest began heaving up and down and her racing heart had nothing to with her near decimation. Knowing that her expression would be unguarded she was unable to mask her emotions from him. Slowly, her eyes fluttered open to meet his steely grey ones.

He stared down at her angrily and frustrated at first, just like his tone. However once he really looked at her a slight confused frown formed on his forehead. His silver-grey eyes diluted, darkening to a stormy grey as he reacted to her instinctively. Then his confusion deepened. Lily knew immediately that she'd made a mistake. Here was not the place to be unguarded but at least most of her family would assume her befuddlement was not caused by who her rescuer was.

Scorpius moved into a crouching position allowing the space to grow between them as Lily struggled into a seated position. He was tense when he offered his hand to her and asked if she was ok. She nodded unable to release the words just yet in case she blurted out something she'd later regret. Taking his hand and experiencing a tingling feeling from his touch, Lily allowed him to help her to her feet.

"Thanks." She gasped, finally controlled enough to be able to trust herself with words. He gave her a curt not as he adopted the air of nonchalance once more.

Lily opened her mouth to say more but her family and friends moved in bombarding her for assurances that she was unharmed. She was unable to talk to Scorpius after that but she did notice that a different Potter managed to speak to him.

Albus patted his former best friend on the arm as he thanked him for what he did for Lily. It was an overwhelming sight for Lily to see the two working through their past differences. Her heart suddenly sank in almost the same moment. It occurred to her that Scorpius might have only pulled her out of the way because she was Albus' sister. A thought she didn't not wish to dwell on.

When Lily took up her newly repaired seat, she turned to Scorpius and found that he was looking directly at her. Surprised that he was now acknowledging her, she managed to smile at him. He didn't really react but that didn't tell her anything, she knew how controlled her could be when he wanted to. They both turned to watch the rest of the game at the same time.

* * *

**WHERE GERMANY WIN**

England fans couldn't help but feel a little cheated when Kraus caught the golden snitch a second before Amelia's latest goal making it void. Those ten points would have made their final score level which would have started the penalty shootouts. Judging by the performances of the Chasers and Keepers of both teams, England would have surely come out on top.

Nevertheless, the fact remained that England's Seeker Ryan Swan was no match for the talented Rudiger Kraus. There was no denying that he'd earned the right to be the one to capture the snitch after performing spectacular moves such as the Wronski Feint and the Plumpton Pass lulling Swan into that final false sense of security.

As the German fans roared their teams victory, the England player landed on the grass below followed by the German players after their victory lap. Lily felt deflated as she watched her brother and the rest of the England team from her seat. The Beaters Fletcher and Robins were obviously laying into Swan verbally for his performance. A fact which James seemed to put an end to. His behaviour confirmed Lily's opinion that her brother had indeed grown up and matured.

The England players huddled together and shared a few words as the crowd started heading back to the campsite. It was almost eleven now and the younger supporters wanted to get to their beds.

When the German players landed by the England players, James made her proud when he genuinely congratulated the other team with no trace of a practical joke in sight. Lily knew how annoyed and disappointed her brother must be. He'd really wanted to win the match since England's win rate against Germany was dismal at less than ten percent.

"Louis' going to need being cheered up!" Jess sighed in sympathy for her man, drawing Lily's attention to the people around her.

"Nothing you can't handle." Margarita smirked mischievously earning her a nudge in the ribs from the former Ravenclaw. With a final saddened look back at the pitch, they gathered their belongings and made their move back to the campsite.

"I'm in the money!" Freddie was exclaiming from his seat. Lily turned towards her male cousin and in doing so, noticed that Scorpius, Duanne and Ollie had already left.

"You bet against you own family." Lucy looked appalled at the very thought and then the Weasley mischief kicked in- proving that although she no longer bore the name, she was a Weasley through and through. "Wait until James and Louis find out."

"You wouldn't." Freddie gasped and his dark skin visibly paled.

"Wouldn't I," Lucy said with a smirk. "Maybe I'll mention it to my Isaiah and Amelia first at least that way they'll be some of you left when your cousins get to you. I doubt they'd leave anything left of you for the others if they got there first." She teased.

The ribbing continued after that as they tried to cheer each other up after their disappointment. James and Louis would find about their cousin's bet only when Fred offered a fraction of his winnings out of guilt.

* * *

**WHERE ENGLAND WIN**

England fans roared their relief when Amelia Wood scored only moments before Kraus' performance of the Plumpton Pass as he captured the snitch. This meant that England had beaten Germany in a Quidditch World Cup final for the first time in near a hundred years. It didn't matter that it was only by ten points- the victory was theirs and they were going to celebrate accordingly. The England players did their victory lap and the supporters went wild.

Although England had had the most attacking side, no one would be playing down Rudiger Kraus' performance tonight. He outclassed their own Seeker in almost every way. Despite how close their final scores were, no one begrudged him the right to be the one to capture the snitch after performing spectacular moves such as the Wronski Feint and the Plumpton Pass, lulling Swan into that final sense of security. Lily was applauding his performance as well as the victory of her home team.

"I'm so glad Louis' going to be in a good mood!" Jess laughed as she applauded her man, drawing Lily's attention to the people around her.

"Nothing you couldn't have handled for sure." Margarita smirked mischievously earning her a nudge in the ribs from the former Ravenclaw. Now that the teams had left the pitch they were all eager to get back to the campsite so that they could all celebrate together.

"Crap! I can't bear to think how much money I've just lost." Freddie muttered from his seat. Lily turned towards her male cousin and in doing so, noticed that Scorpius, Duanne and Ollie had already left the stalls.

"You bet against you own family." Lucy looked appalled at the very thought and then the Weasley mischief kicked in- proving that although she no longer bore the name, she was a Weasley through and through. "Wait until James and Louis find out." She ginned as she just had to rub it in.

"You wouldn't." Freddie gasped and his dark skin visibly paled. He already had it bad without Louis and James knowing.

"Wouldn't I." Lucy said with a smirk. "Maybe I'll mention it to my Isaiah and Amelia first, at least that way they'll be something left of you when your cousins get to you. I doubt they'd leave anything left of you for the others if they got there first." She teased.

The ribbing continued after that as they made their way to their tents. James and Louis would find about their cousin's bet but were in too much of a good mood to be offended.

* * *

**THE STORY CONTINUES**

The cloudless night was beautiful as Lily sat around the campfire staring up at the stars and toasting marshmallows. The majority of the celebrations and drowning of sorrows had quietened and the campsite was full of sounds of people returning to their tents. Out of everyone who'd come to camp with the Weasley's and Potters, Only Lily, Margarita and Brian were left up. The others had already retired for the night, the majority of them coupling off.

As her latest marshmallow drooped into the fire, Lily had the distinct feeling that someone was watching her. Glancing in the directions where she knew her watcher stood, Lily wasn't too surprised to find it was Scorpius in the shadows. She met his gaze for a long moment and it was if a silent conversation passed between them. She knew exactly what he wanted her to do. He turned and began walking away careful not to trip up on any of the tents guide ropes.

Turning to Margarita and Brian, Lily explained she was off to bed. They said goodnight but instead of going into her tent, Lily followed Scorpius at a distance. As she did so, her nerves became more and more unsettled but at least she was going to get her chance to speak to him. She only hoped it would go ok and she wouldn't mess it up.

His tent was more or less what she expected, filled with the Malfoy splendour. It was mostly open plan and spacious, much more luxurious than the tent she was staying in. If this had been any other time she would have probably inspected it further. As it happened, her attention was captured by the man standing in the middle of the large room. He slipped off his leather jacket and threw it towards the large four poster bed. He then turned steadily to face her. All the while she'd been watching him from the door way, not wanting to enter until he gave her the nod.

He did eventually but it wasn't in anyway encouraging. Trying to leave the feeling of trepidation behind her, Lily entered the tent. At least the scene that was about to unfold would be private. "Thank you for your help earlier." Lily began awkwardly breaking the tense silence that passed between them.

"You have already thanked me." He replied shortly.

He said it in such a way that Lily's anger stirred for the first time in a long time. Her emotions always seemed to be amplified around him. It was obvious he had something to say and he wouldn't move past it until it was said.

It appeared he'd already made his assumptions about her and he was stubbornly sticking to them. Thoughts of leaving entered her mind but she refused to give up so easily. "Look I have no idea what you want me to say but you certainly have something to say so just say it so we can get past it." She snapped and took several paces towards him, feeling the heat in the room rise as she did so.

Stirred into motion Scorpius snapped back. "I want you stop looking at me like that."

"Like what?" Lily demanded.

"Like you care."

The temperature became unbearably hot and she felt as is her chest was burning. It was a peculiar sensation and she tried to ignore it. "But what if I do care?" She asked sounding tired.

He became frustrated by her words and it spurred him into action. "Are you kidding me? If you cared so much then you wouldn't have-" He stopped abruptly and just stared a her around the same time Lily realised that the heat she was feeling had nothing to do with the temperature of the room or their heightened tempers.

The lily pendant she always wore around her neck was giving off heat. She untucked it from her dress and examined it. Momentarily distracted from her discussion, Lily watched as the lily transformed into a key before her very eyes.

Knowing that Scorpius had given her the necklace she looked up at him for an explanation. He was standing mid stride staring at the key as if he couldn't believe she still wore it. For the first time his confidence and hostility wavered. He completed his stride but made no further move to approach her. "Why are you still wearing that?" He demanded to know.

Lily suddenly noticed that he was wearing a chain with a pendant of a scorpion dangling from it. As he completed that step, it too transformed into a key.

Knowing it must mean something significant Lily looked around the tent, her sight narrowing in on a ebony carved box on a table between them. Without thinking she stepped forwards and reached for it as she glanced up to reply. "Why wouldn't I? It was a gift from you. I couldn't exactly give it up, not after giving you up."

Her words disarmed him and if he ever had any strong intention of preventing her from looking inside, he forgot all about them.

She slipped the newly formed key into the lock. Turning it, there was a clicking sound and the box fell open. She could feel him watching her but he made no more protests as she filtered through the contents. There was an abundance of newspaper clippings cut out of the Daily Profit among other newspapers. They all had a photo attached and they were of Lily and a different guy in each.

Lily didn't recognise half of the men in the photographs, the majority of the other half she recalled meeting through work and the rest were of men she'd actually dated if only for a brief amount of time. Staring at the images, Lily wondered if Scorpius actually believed that she'd been romantically involved with all these men like the articles seemed to suggest. She tossed the images onto a nearby table top. The sheer amount of them should have set him right. He should know her better than that.

She was about to tell him so when something else caught her eye. Something shiny and metallic was in the box. She recognised it in an instant as being an earring of hers. She'd lost at the Halloween party in the Slytherin dungeon, his eighteenth birthday party. Had he really kept it all this time?

Thoroughly amazed, she continued to feel his gaze on her when she moved her attention to another item in the box. A photograph from the day they had spent looking after the Scamander time. Lily remembered not being able to find the image with the four of them in, but she had assumed that Scorpius' photographic self had had the sense to hide. She never even considered that he had pocketed the image.

The next item was a handkerchief with a lily sown into the side, Lily recalled giving it to him to clean the blood after she punched him on the train in fifth year. After that, she picked up a photograph someone must have taken the day they'd last played against each other at Quidditch. They were lying on the grass, him on top of her, quickly swapping positions as a bludger came hurtling towards them. Lily smiled at the memories the objects were igniting. She was so stubborn and oblivious back then.

The finally item was a transfigured lily she'd made the day she and her friends jinxed him the time that landed her in all those detentions. She was so grateful that Headmaster Croston had finally had enough of their fighting and had forced them to work together. She would have missed out on so much if he hadn't.

Looking at the trinkets she understood what it meant and her own heart swelled with joy. "You still love me after everything!" She gasped in amazement but he did nothing to confirm or deny her statement. She knew she was right though, if he didn't then he would have held on to them. His eyes were hard when they flickered to the newspaper articles and suddenly she knew what he suspected of her. It hurt to realise that since she'd told him that she wasn't that kind of girl. Even when they had been together, she had loved him and they had never-

Lily knew this was one thing she could set straight. She felt a surge of hope that all was not lost. Without looking up at his reaction again in case it discouraged her, Lily walked closer to the table top. She sorted through the images she'd dropped there, of her and her supposed partners and put them into two piles. She pointed to the larger of the two. "These are just people I met on the street or through work. That bitch Skeeter used to promote her gossip column, both my brother and Rose would confirm if you asked. There was never anything else going on." She told him without taking her eyes of the piles.

She pointed to the other pile and risked glancing at him. He didn't seem as confident in his accusations or as sour as he had. Instead he looked vulnerable. She knew there was no other way to be towards him but honest. "There is some truth about what was said about these but I swear nothing really happened with those men no matter what the papers said. I dated them yes but it was never serious. I may have tried to forget you and when I realised none of them could touch my heart the way you did, I couldn't even bear to hold their hands." She told him, her throat tightening up.

His gaze hardening once more, he looked down at the pile and reached for a particular photograph. "Can you really say that about Tobias Jasper? The two of you dated for months. You were inseparable, it was all over the papers and all over the office." He said harshly.

Lily bit her lip miserably at the bitterness in his tone. A single sentence from her about Jaz's sexuality would put his worries about him to rest, but she couldn't betray Jaz's secret. "I suppose it will have to come down to trust." Lily sighed, knowing that she may be asking too much of him. "I swear nothing like that happened between me and Jaz. We were more friends than anything else. Good friends but no more. We enjoyed each others company but we hardly even kissed. I'm not going to lie to you. I did try to move on and until this morning I thought I was successful in doing so, but something happened that had me looking at everything in a different light."

She knew he wanted to ask her what she meant but he was stubbornly silent so she continued without any encouragement. "I found that the bits that attracted me to each of them were bits that reminded me of you." She explained and stepped around the table so that she stood before him. He watched her as she continued to talk and wore a tortured expression. Lily almost stopped herself so she wouldn't have to see him like that, but there were things he really needed to know- things she really needed to tell him.

"Do you really think I could have fallen in love with any of them when my heart was already taken?" She asked desperately, pleading him to look into his own heart for the answer.

He looked even more tortured as if daring himself to believe her words. "Don't do this to me." He pleaded but Lily didn't obey.

"You need to hear this." Lily continued adamantly. "Do you really believe I'd let any of them touch me like you suspect, when my heart wouldn't let me? I may have convinced myself that I had moved on but my heart always knew different. My heart only knew you." She explained placing her hand over her heart.

"I think you should leave now." He said unsteadily as he closed his eyes on her.

Lily spoke softly. "Why did you invite me here if it wasn't to hear me out?" Not to torment but to for a connection, Lily reached up and stroked his cheek. His eyes remained closed at her touch but he didn't flinch away from her. "Tell me you don't love me still and I'll leave. You have to say the words or otherwise I wont believe that it's too late for us."

"It wont make any difference." He told her and Lily's heart almost broke all over again. If it wasn't for his expression looking as if he wanted to believe her, her heart probably would have shattered. She wished he would look at her. It was painful enough that he was holding himself back from what he still felt about her.

Knowing that there was little more she could do tonight, Lily caressed his cheek with her hand and kissed the other cheek gently. "I hope one day you'll be able forgive me Scorpius and believe what I say."

Regret filled her heart but there was nothing she could do if Scorpius didn't want to give her another chance. She'd have to wait until he was ready. Blinking back the tears, Lily began to lower her hand but Scorpius surprised her when he had other plans. To prolong her touch, he covered her hand with his. Heart skipping, Lily gazed back up at him hardly daring herself to believe that his actions had been intentional.

His eyes were open now but only partially. He gazed at her through heavy lids, his stormy grey eyes darker than she remembered, intense with emotion. Lily's throat instantly went dry when she gauged his expression. "Call me that again?" He requested slowly.

A smile tugged at her lips when she understood exactly what he was asking of her. This was the first time she'd called him by name to his face. Even when they had dated she'd always used his surname when talking to him. It had acted as protection against her feelings for him and using his name now showed him that she was no longer afraid to love him whole heartedly if she had the chance. She repeated his name for him she would never have expected the power of a name to be so strong.

Smiling at her now, he met her gaze and held it. "I can't keep it secret this time. If we do this, we do this without all the secrecy. We let people know."

Tears of happiness trickled down her cheeks, she chose to overlook the word 'if'. "I'm not afraid anymore." She told him, her voice horse.

Nodding, he lowered the hand that had covered hers and tucked a lock of her crimson hair behind her ear. His movements were slow and intentional. Lily didn't want to react to quickly in case he had second thoughts. Instead she stood there mesmerised, watching the flood of emotions flash across his face when he touched her. She was so happy by his actions that she didn't mind waiting to reciprocate.

Slowly, hesitantly, he lowered his lips to brush against hers. They were soft and perfect; just how she remembered them. Her gut tightened at the familiar feeling kissing him gave her. It was what she'd been missing these past years since no one else had ever made her feel so light-headed and whole. A part of her she hadn't really noticed she was missing until now, was finally back.

She allowed her lips to move fractionally against his but she didn't dare to touch him yet despite the fact that her hands were itching to do so. Encouraged by her actions, he cupped her face with both hands and his lips moved more reverently against hers. Suddenly the fire burned in their blood. It was as if they were back at Hogwarts and the break up had never occurred. She couldn't hold back any longer.

Her hands moved to the back of his neck pulling him closer to her. She needed the increase in contact and wasn't afraid of him knowing it. He reacted instantly, his hands running down her body and settling on her waist for a moment. He moved them forward, their movements awkward as Lily couldn't see where they were going. She soon felt the edge of the table top behind her and his grip around her waist tightened so that he could lift her onto it.

Their kiss deepened as they both battled to get their fill of the other. Her searching hands moved lower, untucking his shirt from his jeans and allowing her hands to move below the fabric. She heard him groan and his hands slipped to her hips, pulling her forward to the very edge of the table. Their hips locked together and his hands travelled upward, toying with the sleeves of her dress.

Scorpius broke their kiss and turned his attention to her neck. Things immediately began to heat up and Lily wondered whether she could take much more of this before she combusted. Her feelings were reaching an intensity that surpassed anything he'd ever made her feel before.

His fingers pushed aside the sleeves of her dress, slipping them off the shoulder as he nuzzled the skin it exposed. All Lily could do was throw her head back allowing him better access. She delved her hands into his platinum hair, holding him near her chest as she wanted more. His lips then work their way back to hers. Nipping, tugging, kissing; they both seemed to require more of the other with each passing second.

Lily may never had gone this far before but she wasn't stupid. She realised where this could be heading and couldn't work out whether she should stop it or not. Either action could turn out to be her biggest mistake. She must have stiffened slightly, or he may have realised where this was heading at the same time, because he moved to break the kiss but not their hold on each other just yet. Scorpius dropped his head so that his forehead rested against hers as their lungs heaved for air. Their hearts pounding audibly to the same rhythm.

A deep primal growl escaping his lips and he did something she didn't expect. He worked on putting her dress straight.

For one fearful moment, Lily thought he would ask her to leave. Instead he lifted her off the table so she stood before him and reached for her hand. "We can't loose control like that again. We have to take it slow- I have to take this slow."

Lily understood that he was wary of being hurt again. She nodded, gave her hand to him and let him lead her over to the nearby settee. Lily seated herself and he took the spot next to her. "We do this right this time. I know we can't jump into this and pretend the last two years didn't happen." Lily sighed. "They did. But I swear I'll make it up to you."

Scorpius stroked her cheek tenderly. "It's not that I want you to make thing up to me." He explained. "The last two years have changed us. I want us to go into this knowing that we are different people now."

Lily nodded at his logic, the last thing they needed was a relationship controlled by hormones. "I'd like to get to know you again. Do you think maybe we could start now? I'm not ready to leave just yet." Lily admitted and it was the truth. She'd been without him for so long she didn't want to leave him again so soon.

"I can't see a problem with that" Scorpius said with a genuine smile on his face. "But first I want to do something."

Lily watched as Scorpius summoned the magical chest over to him. The lily key was still in the lock so he didn't need to ask Lily for it. He took it out and placed it on the box's lid along with his scorpion key. He waved his wand over them and muttered an incantation. Orbs of light flew out of the box and into each of the keys.

The keys transformed back into a scorpion and a lily whilst the magical box seemed to loose all of its magical properties. Scorpius handed the flower pendant back to Lily.

"They'll act like port keys now. Only, the wearer of each has full control over them. If you ask of it, your necklace will now transport you to wherever mine is at the time. But it will only work if the other person allows it to. It's a two way connection. You'll be able to feel it all happening and we can test it out Monday evening if you are free. I suggest you keep the necklace on you."

Lily gazed up at her love in amazement. He was a genius. "I'll never take it off." She assured him and couldn't resist leaning in to kiss him gently once more.

* * *

_Well if a name could be used to strike fear into peoples hearts, then I don't see why it can't be used to help mend one. _

_I originally planned for them not to stop when (well I recon you know when.) and then they were to have the conversation about doing things correctly from then on. However it didn't feel right when I was writing it so I had them stop. I really want them to get it right this time around._

_I really hope you enjoyed it and that the chapter wasn't a disappointment._


	39. C39: A New Start

**Big news! I'll be starting Nursing at University in April! **

**Also reached the 400 review point! How amazing is that? **

**Thank you all so much for helping me achieve that honour! You reviewers are the best ever and I can't tell you how grateful I am that you've stuck with my story. You've helped me so much. Thank you, Thank you, Thank you!**

**Chapter 39: A New Start**

Monday came around and Lily sat at a table outside the ice-cream parlour on Diagon Alley. It was full of children and students taking advantage of the fact that the sun was out and the weather warm enough to warrant ice-cream. Lily realised that it may have been a mistake waiting there since ice cream was being flung everywhere as the customers indulged themselves. It was difficult to avoid being splattered.

Dressed in a fashionable cream blouse, maroon pencil skirt and sleek stiletto heels, she wore an exotic headscarf disguising her signature hair and large sunglasses hiding part of her face. She could pass as any business woman going about her occupation. She was incognito!

In a way business was the reason she was there. She was meeting Duanne for lunch where she planned to ask him if he knew of a place where she could base her fashion line and open her own store. She and Lucy had searched for such a place but every property currently up for grabs were unsuitable. They were either too small, too large, too expensive or in an undesirable location. They guessed they'd have to compromise on some of their requirements if Duanne didn't have any suggestions.

Over the last two years Duanne had built up quite a portfolio of properties for both residential and commercial use. He was the only person she could think to ask where the news wouldn't get back to her parents. She wanted to prove to them that she could handle things on her own before she dropped the bombshell that she would be earning a living as a fashion designer.

Her father had visions of her becoming an Auror like him and Albus. Whereas her mother was hoping she would follow in her footsteps as a professional Quidditch player like James had. She was even offering to discuss getting Lily a place at her old team- The Holyhead Harpies, using her contacts. Because of this, Lily had set herself a deadline for when she'd tell her parents everything. Unfortunately that deadline was rapidly approaching, being Friday. It also happened to be the day of her NEWT results. She'd already arranged to meet up with them for lunch where she'd tell them everything.

She also understood that it would be ill-advised to rush into anything. If nothing came from her meeting with Duanne, she would then see if her parents and family could offer her any advice. She hated not telling them from the start but that was the price of the independence she sought. She was certain that they would have tried to talk her out of it if they knew. She just hoped they wouldn't feel too betrayed about her withholding her plans.

Lily looked up and down the Alley for signs of Duanne. He probably wouldn't recognise her in her disguise but there was reason she wore it. The reason of her disguise lay in the morning's newspaper. There was a large photograph of Scorpius and herself on the front of it. With tiresome repetition it showed her photographic self being pulled out of the way of the rogue bludger by Scorpius. At least now Lily knew what the flashing lights had been about. Lily didn't mind that she'd been caught on camera with him. She understood that there would be a lot more stories about them once their relationship became public knowledge.

It was the Headline and the accompanying article that riled her. 'From Zero to Hero' The grating headline read and that was enough for Lily to daydream about hunting down the person behind it. They didn't know Scorpius at all. The related article was a rather long, embellished and mostly fabricated story. It mentioned the downfall of the Malfoy family after the war and how Scorpius was using her to make a name for himself. Lily knew it was all false- That the reason Scorpius had saved her was because he still had feelings for her, but the accusations still hurt. She knew the story wouldn't go down well with Scorpius either.

Lily was determined not to attract any more attention to herself until they had prepared themselves. Well that, or after they finally told their family that they were an item at the very least.

She stood up spotting Duanne heading towards her. He came as a welcome release of her thoughts. Duanne looked so calm and serene striding down Diagon Alley as if he owned the place. Lily just had to smile.

He spotted her and seemed surprise. "Hey beautiful." He greeted cheerfully and gave her the once over. Lily tried not to blush.

"Hi Duanne. Having a good day so far?" She asked and held out her hand for him to shake.

He raised a brow at the formality of the gesture. He took her hand but didn't shake it. Instead, he turned it so that it was palm down and lifted her hand to his lips so he could kiss it. "It just got brighter. Don't you look all grown up and professional." He said looking slightly confused when Lily stiffened.

She shrugged apologetically. "Wouldn't want anyone to get the wrong impression. Skeeter has her spies everywhere, ready and waiting to slander my name and those around me." If things had been different between her and Scorpius then she wouldn't have bothered what that woman saw and put in her paper.

As things were, Scorpius was giving her another shot at things and there was no way she wanted any seeds of doubt about her fidelity to be planted in his mind. Even if the person photographed with her was Duanne, whom she was certain was completely dedicated to Ollie. Lily just didn't want to take the chance.

Duanne nodded in acknowledgement and Lily wondered if Scorpius had had the chance to talk to him yet. Lily certainly hadn't got around to telling the twins about her rekindled relationship yet. She was hoping to do that sometime that week.

Duanne's next words didn't make it any clearer either. "Ah the Scorpius story this morning, I can see why that could be a problem. I doubt anyone would recognise you looking like that. But if that's what you are worried about, I know just the place. Neither Skeeter or her 'spies' as you call them will bother us. Then maybe you can give me that hug you're just itching to offer." He finished with a self-assured smirk.

"Arrogant much?" Lily laughed. Although she had to admit a place where Skeeter's spies couldn't get to her sounded intriguing. She'd certainly never heard of such a place.

He laughed with her. Lily mused about how nice it was to hear his laugh again. She'd missed him over the years where their only contact had been via owl post. "Comes with the blood dear Lily. Being Magda's best friend, thought the fact would be ingrained in your skull by now." He winked at her and Lily winked back. He probably couldn't tell since she was wearing sunglasses.

Gathering her bag and tossing the Newspaper in the nearest rubbish bin, she motioned Duanne to lead the way. She fell in step beside him and he kept his pace slow so that she could keep up in her heels.

"Thought you were ignoring what that wretched woman was writing in her columns?" He asked shooting her a sideways glance as he directed Lily down an alley she hadn't explored before. As far as Lily knew it housed some offices and residential flats. There were also some buildings which were really run down and abandoned.

"I'm trying and most of the time I am able to ignore her. But the subject matter makes it a little difficult."

"He mentioned you two are going to make a go of it." Duanne confessed, discreetly not mentioning Scorpius' name out in the open. He frowned for a moment and looked as if he was about to say something.

"You going to set some ground rules?" She asked quietly, taking in his expression.

He shook his head. "Nah. I trust you to do it right this time. When are you going to tell people?"

"Scorpius said that we should wait a few days while we decide whether we're going to take this further. Hopefully we'll be telling people by the end of the week. We're wanting to tell family and friends before Skeeter or any of her minions get a hold of the news and spread it like Spattergroit."

He was laughing when he stood outside an old building which to her eyes looked boarded up and derelict. He reached into his robes and tossed a token her way and she caught it with her Seeker reflexes. "Just be careful. Several people aren't going to like it. They'll strive to break you apart."

"I know it's going to be hard but I believe it will be worth it in the end. You should know that more than anyone -"

"Let's talk about that when we are inside." He interrupted her cautiously and turned toward the derelict building.

Lily followed his gaze and her jaw dropped. This time when Lily looked at the building, she could see that it wasn't derelict at all. Erected in all it's glory was an establishment of fine gothic architecture. Lily continued to gape at it. Slowly, she began to understand. The only reason she'd seen an abandoned building there earlier was because she hadn't been holding the token.

He led her inside and closed the door behind him. The room was silent despite being full of people eating and socialising in private groups. There was no way Lily could identify any of them. Their faces were blurred! Lily removed her sunglasses to see if their faces would become any clearer, but they didn't. She turned to Duanne hoping that if she spoke, he would be able to hear and that she would at least recognise him. Thankfully she could. "How-?"

"This place has been used for centuries by anyone who didn't want their business known. It's charmed so that only the people in your party can identify and hear you. It's a way of keeping things private. There are also no staff allowed on this floor. They work below and every service is ordered from a menu. I'll show you."

Duanne led her to an empty table for two and they seated themselves. Opening the menu he placed his token over an image of a Butterbeer and immediately a pint of Butterbeer appeared on the table.

"That's incredible." Lily gushed and tried it for herself. "How is it I've never heard of this place?"

Duanne smirked. "It's not as if they broadcast this place. You can only come here by invitation. It used to be that only the oldest and most noble families knew about this place."

Lily could see the logic behind the secrecy. Duanne had clear suggested that the place had been for pure-blooded members only. She imagined the ancestors of the founding families of the establishment would be turning in their graves if they knew she was there. She wondered if she was the first person he invited whom wouldn't have been approved of, or if he had brought Ollie here at some point. "Do you have to be magical or can muggles enter?"

He regarded her strangely before answering. "Anyone can come here with an invite."

"How is Ollie by the way?"

The flash in his eyes was brief. They showed that he hadn't realised how much Lily knew, but that he should have known better. "She's doing well. Slowly getting used to the idea that magic really exists in this world. I tried to hide it from her to protect her, but the secrets got too much. She's only known what I am for a few months."

"You're protecting her from your parents aren't you? Do Maggie and Margarita know?" Lily asked, being able to relate to the situation.

"They know. So does Dorian and Scorpius. They all give off the impression that they are concerned about the both of us. Seem to think it's too dangerous for her if we are together. I suppose I should give her up for her safety, but I've tried that. I don't want to be without her. She can't protect herself from magic but I'll protect her." He said in full confidence and stared at her expectantly. "I suppose you are going to say that I won't always be there to protect her." He said as if he'd heard it a hundred times.

Lily shook her head. "I was actually going to say that you wouldn't have to protect her alone. If it came down to that, there are people who care about you who will help."

She'd surprised him, it was clear in his expression. After a moment he nodded. "Right back at you Beautiful." Lily knew that was his way of saying he had her back, just like she had his. "So. You wanted to talk business so lets order some food and get down to it." He announced, abruptly changing the subject.

That is exactly what they did. As they ate, Lily explained her predicament. He listened as she listed off the requirements she and Lucy had decided on and once she had finished, he was smiling.

He so happened to have renovated a building just off Diagon Alley near Gringots Bank that could be perfect for her. He was going to put it on the rental market later that week but he told her that he'd let her have a look at it first. He informed her that eventually there would be a row of new business' there, but those buildings weren't ready yet. He also mentioned that the muffilato charm was cast over the properties where work was still being done so there would be no noise disruption.

He agreed to show her the property once he'd paid for their meal, he had refused her efforts to pay. Lily was surprised to discover that since she'd been invited to the establishment, she was now able to go there herself and had a set of tokens for her own. Lily could see herself enjoying an evening meal or two there with Scorpius, away from prying eyes.

Out in the street with her disguise back in place, Lily sent her silver fox patronus to Lucy with a message. "May have found a place. If you are free to take a look, reply and meet me outside Gringots when you can."

Duanne had been intrigued by the charm since not many people had been taught the procedure. So far only descendents from members of the Order of the Phoenix knew the spell. Lily decided she would teach it to him one day.

Moments later a silver hare appeared in front of them with Lucy's voice coming from it. "Be there in ten minutes."

X

Both Lucy and Lily agreed that the building was ideal for what they wanted and the rent wasn't too high. It had a very spacious and modern layout despite the structure of the building being Victorian in design. The store was a medium sized property on two levels. The upper level could be used for storage and dress making, whereas the ground floor could be where they sold their merchandise.

There was a small courtyard out back, with a long one story building that stretched the entire row of shops. Duanne mentioned that he was in the process of purchasing it. He explained that he wasn't sure if he was going to convert it into places for small business or storage. Thinking ahead, both girls liked the possibility of extra storage if they decided to expand there range to the second level.

Deciding they were more than likely going to agree to rent the property, Lucy went to the bank to go over the deeds while Duanne went to show Lily something that he thought she might be interested in. Using a different access route, Lily soon found out there was a third floor to the building. "It may be convenient." Duanne told her as he opened to door to an upstairs apartment. Like the store downstairs it was a lot more modern on the inside. With an open plan living space, a modern fitted kitchen, bathroom and two reasonably sized bedrooms, it was perfect.

Lily stood there stunned, it was almost too good to be true. There had to be a catch. "How much?" She asked uncertainly, hoping that it would be within budget. He answered her with a monthly value and her jaw dropped in disbelief. "That's a lot less than I expected."

He smiled wirily and shrugged. "Call it family discount."

Overjoyed, Lily flung her arms around him giving him the hug he'd joked about earlier.

"When is it available to be rented? How long is the lease?" Lily began bombarding him with questions which he had an answer she liked for every one. Finally she asked: "What's your policy on flat parties?"

He laughed. "Do I get an invite?" He asked and when she nodded in response he added. "Totally ok with them, have as many as you wish."

She left in a good mood. Duanne had given her a copy of the contract to the flat so that she could take it home and let her parents look over it. She thought they might like to have some input in this since she had many more things she was going to surprise them with on Friday. Since it wasn't a spur of the moment decision for her to look for her own place, and had worked in France over the summer to earn the money for rent; She told Duanne would have her decision by the afternoon about the flat. If all checked out with the deeds Lucy was looking over, it was likely that they would sign that contract at the same time. He gave her his business address and they said goodbye for now.

X

Knowing that it was her father's day off, Lily went straight home after leaving Duanne. As she walked through the house their House Elf Binky curtsied. Lily greeted her and was hit by a wave of sadness she always experienced when she saw the elf. She still wasn't used to not seeing Kreature wondering the hallways. It had been a year since his heart gave out and she still felt his loss as if it had been yesterday. It was part of the reason she wanted to move away from home and why she'd been working aboard during the Summer.

Opening the door to the living room, Lily was stunned to see her parents quickly pull apart with blushes on their cheeks. "I'll come back later." She said quickly in an appalled tone and was about to leave. She would have done, if her father hadn't called her back.

"What's on your mind? You seem to have something important to tell us." Ginny said as she sat down on the sofa, Harry next to her.

Moving into a chair a fair distance away, Lily decided she better get this over with. She pulled out the information Duanne had given her from her bag. "I've found a flat which I'm interested in renting. I was wanting your opinion on it."

Ginny made a quick sobbing noise whilst Harry took the parchment off his daughter and looked it over. "All my little darlings are leaving the nest. Now I know how my mother felt when I moved out. Oh Harry!" Harry consoled her and although he seemed a little phased about the news that Lily was ready to move out, he also saw the benefits. He went on to explain a few to Ginny and Lily had to make an excuse to leave the room. There were just some things she didn't want to hear her parents discuss.

Several minutes passed before Lily's parents joined her in the kitchen. They agreed that the flat seemed nice and they wouldn't object to her living there. Duanne had explained that the flat was ready to be moved into as soon as the contract was signed and the deposit made. She told her parents that and they handled the news very well. They even suggested that she take the contents of her room and a few other items of furniture with her. They said it was to help her feel at home there, but Lily also suspected they were pleased for the opportunity to de-clutter their home. Nevertheless, Lily was very grateful. With their help she placed all the items in her bag with the undetectable expansion charm cast on it. In no time at all Lily was all ready to move out incredulous of how swiftly things were going.

Once Lily left her home that would no longer be her home; her mind was able to digest what she'd interrupted. Eww gross! That was just one thing a person shouldn't see their parents' working towards. It was just disgusting. Lily shuddered.

After several failed attempts to get the image out of her head, she conceded that it was better that her parents had real affection for each other. She would be miserable if they were only together out of convenience. Those two were soul mates, just as she was certain that Scorpius was hers. She just couldn't imagine either of them being with anyone else.

Sighing in acceptance, Lily went to find Lucy.

Both contracts were signed by the end of the afternoon and Lucy had handed in her notice. Since she was owed some holidays, she only had one more day working at Madam Malkin's. After that, she could concentrate on their own shop. They arranged to meet there at ten on Wednesday to start getting it ready. Lilu's Boutique was what they decided to name it. Li for Lily and Lu for Lucy.

X

Come seven o'clock Lily could not believe all that had happened that day. She had her own flat and was co-owner of a store to sell her own design label.

Her flat had some sort of organisation already. She had replicated her bedroom from Grimauld's place in her new room to make the adjustment to a new flat easier. She has also scattered some ornaments and paintings her parent's had given her around the flat. In the main living space she'd placed a comfy old sofa by the fireplace and a small dining room set near the kitchen. The furnishings didn't suit the modern design of the flat but a few transfiguration spells would rectify that. At present she didn't have the time.

Scorpius would be there at any moment and she was ready and waiting, dressed to impress in a pretty purple dress. Leaning against the kitchen counter, she waited for something to happen to her necklace. Scorpius hadn't explained exactly how it worked.

As soon as the thought occurred to her, it began to heat against her skin. Acting on instinct, she reached up and enclosed the charm with her fingers. In an instant the most overwhelming emotion consumed her. It was the essence of all she felt for Scorpius and all he felt for her. The air around her felt charged and began to spark. Like hundred of tiny fireworks exploding before her eyes. It was like a portkey but yet, not like a portkey. Seconds later Scorpius was standing in front of her looking as sexy as ever dressed in his usual black.

With the effects of the locket connection still fresh in her mind and body, she grabbed him by the lapels and gave him one hell of a hello kiss. He responded in kind, kissing her at full force, his hands moulded to the curvaceous shape of her hips.

Before things got any more heated, they pulled apart gasping for breath. Looking away, as if resisting the urge to pull her back to him, Scorpius' eyes scanned their surroundings. He stared around the room looking confused, taking in the mismatch of furniture. "Where are we?"

"My new flat. Just moved in a few hours ago." Lily told him, still a little breathless from the kiss.

"It's lovely" He gritted out with a hint of sarcasm as he took in the sparse décor.

Lily burst out laughing. "It's nowhere near finished. As I said, I moved in only hours ago."

Grinning, he draped his arms over her shoulders seemingly reluctant to be parted from her for long. It was then that Lily noticed that Scorpius had been carrying something when he'd arrived. A large bag lay on the floor where it had fallen. She stared at it puzzling over why he had brought it and what his motives were. She looked back at him seeking an explanation.

He smiled sheepishly. "There's a place I want to take you for our first date. I was thinking of apperating us there. We'll have the place to ourselves."

Lily's breath hitched at the word 'date'. What that really what this was? They'd never been on a date when they were back in Hogwarts. The secrecy and their circumstances had made it impossible. Suddenly it all felt so real and no longer a sort of fantasy. Lily loved that feeling.

She still wondered what was in the bag.

But she loved that feeling.

Although she wasn't a fan of apperition as a form of transport, she picked up the bag with one hand and wrapped her other arm around his waist. Gazing up through jovial eyes she said: "Then take me Scorpius, I'm all yours."

He shivered at her words.

After the unpleasantness accompanying apperition subsided, they were standing at the top of a cliff and Lily wasn't certain that they were still in England. The ground was covered with lush green grass and scatterings of wild flowers. Birds twittered in the nearby beech trees and soared against the brilliant blue sky. With a deep breath she smelt the floral aromas and tasted the clean air against her tongue. There was not a trace of pollution to be detected. In front of them was the ocean stretching out across the horizon with nothing in sight to obscure the view. Lily stood there soaking in the beauty of the scene, unaware that Scorpius was no longer by her side.

She didn't know how much time passed as she stood and stared.

"Breathtaking isn't it?" Scorpius asked from behind. Lily turned and discovered what had been in the bag. A green and silver woollen blanket lay across the ground with jars of blue flames surrounding it. A selection of finger foods was laid out on a plate in one corner.

Scorpius sat reclined on the blanket and he held he hand out, encouraging her to join him. "I thought you might like to share a picnic with me as we watch the sun set."

Lily suddenly felt giddy. How on earth had she managed to attract someone like him? He was full of surprises. She took his hand and sunk to her knees next to him.

They fell into easy conversation as they sat and ate. They started by making small talk. They discussed their likes and dislikes as they got to know each other once more. As the evening progressed, they began sharing their dreams for the future. Scorpius was saying that revolutionary changes were beginning to take form inside the Ministry. Archaic laws were being rewritten and a greater equality was developing between all Magical People and Creatures.

Those who formally had no voice in matters of law, now had people willing to stand up for them. He was grateful for the opportunity to be a part of it. He hoped that eventually the Dark Arts would eventually die out.

Although not as ambitious or as life changing as Scorpius' dreams. Lily shared hers and told him of the steps she was already making. Lily was amazed to discover how easy it was to share these things with him, even after the years apart.

When the time came for the sun to set, they sat in silence in the arms of the other, watching its descent. They relished in the feeling of being in the arms of the other long after the sun's rays had left the sky. Lily sat resting her head against his shoulder, her body fitting snugly next to his. The blue flames were now their only source of light, their bodies provided the heat.

Scorpius rested his cheek in her silky red hair and brushed his hand against the smooth skin of her arm. From shoulder to elbow and back again repeatedly. "I better take you home." He sighed in a way that clearly said it was the last thing he wanted to do.

Lily reluctantly agreed with him. "Thank you for tonight." Lily told him, her voice filled with emotion. She turned to kneel in front of him and gazed mesmerised by the shapes the flickering blue flames cast over his handsome face. It gave him this otherworldly experience which drew her in. Framing his face in her hands, Lily lent into his body and kissed him. It was slow and gentle but had their blood racing in seconds.

Wrapping his arms tightly around her, they lost balance. Scorpius rocked back onto the blanket pulling Lily on top. Her body crashing against his and she instantly wanted more. Her hands began exploring the lean sculpture of his shoulders and chest.

Their kisses may be soft but her man definitely was not. Her body managed to fit to his muscular one regardless.

His own hands caressed the arc of her back sending delicious tremors through her body. He squeezed her hips and kneaded the flesh there but all of a sudden; he stopped. Rolling so that she lay beneath him, he used his arms to raise him off her.

Lamenting the loss of his body heat, Lily shivered in the cool night air and began to pout.

He cleared his throat. "You are making it really difficult for me to take this slow."

Lily smiled apologetically although she had to admit, part of her wasn't all that sorry. She liked kissing him like that and she loved the way kissing him made her feel. Like nothing else in the world mattered.

Unfortunately, all good things had to come to an end. Temporarily.

Ten minutes later they stood in Lily's kitchen again. Lily held his hand wanting to prolong their contact as long as possible. "If you're not busy tomorrow. Fancy coming over after work? My flat should be sorted by then and I'll cook?"

He seemed surprised by the offer but interested in seeing her again so soon. "You can cook?"

"Uhuh" Lily replied hoping she sounded convincing. In truth she'd never tried to cook a proper meal in her life. Not without help anyway. She figured it couldn't be that different from brewing potions and she excelled in that. As long as she got some instructions to follow, she was fair certain she'd be able to produce something edible.

He grinned and kissed her on the cheek. "In that case, I'll be around just after six." And just like that, he was gone and Lily was alone in her flat.

X

Waking up in her new room on Tuesday morning was a strange affair. At first she'd thought herself back at Grimauld's place and expecting to hear her parents chattering away as her father got ready for work. Then it hit her- she was very much alone.

Feeling a little lost and lonely, Lily got out her communication mirror after breakfast. Staring into it, she called out her friends names to activate it. One by one, they began to appear. Lily broke the news to them that she'd got her own place and asked if they wanted to come and have a look. While she waited, Lily put her transfiguration skills to the test, tweaking the furniture already laid out so that it was more in keeping to the style she wanted.

The girls arrived in the midst of her work and began helping. In no time at all, the flat was fully furnished and decorated. It was amazing the kind of furnishing the girls could create by transfiguring an object as simple as a matchstick. Since Delia was far better at Charms than Transfiguration, she experimented with wall colours and manipulating the patterns of the curtains and soft furnishings. Once that was done and out of the way, Lily brought out the Butterbeer and the lounged about in the new living area.

Lily filled them in on her career plans as they worked. Intrigued by the idea, Margarita offered to work on some artwork for the shop and the others asked to be involved in some form or another. After figuring out what they could do to help, they planned to come to the shop the next day around lunchtime. That way it would give Lucy and Lily time to get things started.

Lily also mentioned that she would be having an end of NEWTs flat party on Friday evening. The girls were thrilled by the news and although Lily would be hosting it, they took control of the organisation and wouldn't hear any of Lily's protests. As they put it, she had enough to sort out with the store. Margarita and Magdalana took the tasks of decorating and sending out invites upon themselves, whereas Jess and Delia chose to order the food and drink. Delia could easily make an order through her mother's pub and bring the items over the day of the party. She was confident that she could rope Hugo, Chester and Brian into helping them.

Grateful for their help, Lily handed them each a handful of Galleons as they left to cover their costs.

Just after the girls left, Lucy's owl Hector landed on her kitchen table with a note attached. Lucy was letting her know that she had ordered the items they'd already agreed on for their shop and they would be arriving in the morning between ten and twelve. Adding the information to her to-do list, Lily headed out to stock up her cupboards with food.

X

Laying out the ingredients on her kitchen counter, Lily started work on preparing the meal for her and Scorpius. She decided that roast beef with all the trimmings shouldn't be too difficult. The meal was convenient because she could easily skip on the meat and just eat the vegetables and Yorkshire pudding. She'd never cooked beef before since she wasn't a meat eater and relied heavily on the recipe.

As she carried out the instructions she realised it was a lot more difficult than she had previously thought. How on earth did the older women in her family manage to create anything edible? Lily thought bitterly. She realised that cooking was nothing like potion brewing and Lily knew which one she preferred doing.

Did the others have some kind of supernatural touch when it came to food and why the hell didn't the pass the talent on to her? She ranted and complained to herself as she eyed the pitiful excuse of a roast supper. The vegetables were overdone, the beef looked underdone and she daren't even start on working out what was wrong with the Yorkshire puddings. All in all, it was a complete disaster.

Looking seriously stressed and frazzled, Lily wondered if she had the time to start again with something simpler. It was then that her locket began to activate. Lily's stomach felt as if it had just dropped to the floor. She thought about pretending that she was sick but that didn't sit well. She wanted to spend as much time with him as their schedules allowed. She was just going to have to own up to her lack of cooking skills and be done with it. They could always order take out at a last resort.

As fast as she could, she cast a cosmetic charm on herself so that she looked half decent and clutched the pendant in her hands. Scorpius appeared next to her in the same way he had done the day before.

"How was your day?" She asked after greeting him with a fleeting kiss. He began to tell her and she kept him busy asking questions without it sounding to much of an interrogation. He was impressed with the transformation of her flat and she took pleasure in showing him around. Unfortunately it did not distract him from eyeing the remnants of Lily's attempt of a meal.

He raised his alabaster brows and Lily was pleased to see that he found her attempt amusing. "I knew you weren't being entirely truthful when you said you could cook?" He laughed.

"I didn't expect it to be so difficult. It's only a matter of following instructions or so I thought." Lily grumbled glaring daggers at her shocking attempt.

Still shaking his head and the amusement still evident in his tone, he said: "No matter. If you don't mind, I'll see what I can ruffle up. The beef at least looks salvageable but the rest is beyond my skills to repair." He smirked his ever so Slytherin smirk Lily was so fond of.

Lily grinned sheepishly and then her crimson brows veed into a frown. "You can cook?" She asked not able to mask her surprise.

"Malfoy men can always cook, we just don't do it often." He smirked and went to investigate what was in the fridge. He seemed pleased with what he saw there and started lining up ingredients on the counter just like Lily had done earlier. At least she'd done something right, she thought as she rolled her eyes.

He turned to her with a worried expression on his face. "How are you at making a salad?" He asked hesitantly.

Lily snorted indignantly at his cheek. "Salads I can do!" She told him truthfully and wondered why she hadn't thought of making one herself. She snatched the ingredients from him and concentrated on making sure the salad would be the best darn salad they had ever tasted.

As she did that, Scorpius fried some chopped tomatoes in a pan and added some herbs. He let them simmer until they had reduced into a thick paste. He then toasted slices of French bread, spread the tomatoes paste over it and topped it off with a sprinkling of goats cheese and then slipped it under the grill. He added some beef to his but wisely left it of hers.

Lily watched him with growing respect for how he made it look so simple. They were soon sat having eating the meal they had prepared together. What she thought would have been a disaster actually turned out well in the end. They'd worked as a team and ended up with something that was delicious if she said so herself.

"How about next time we eat out?" Lily asked at the end of the evening. Although she had enjoyed their combined effort, she would find the build up far less stressful if someone else was doing the cooking. At least until she had a few lessons. Grandma Weasley would be more than happy to help. "The restaurant a few streets down will give us the secrecy we need." She suggested and took a token out of her purse.

It split into two and Lily offered one of the halves to Scorpius. "How do you know about that place?" Scorpius asked after examining the token and recognising. Lily wasn't surprised that he knew of the place.

Lily shrugged not wanting to make a big deal out of it. "Duanne took me the other day."

"What? When?" He demanded, his tone dripping with jealousy.

Lily tried not to get defensive when she answered him. She should have known that he wouldn't take the news well, though she didn't see what the big deal was. "A few days ago when we met for lunch. That's when he showed me this place and the shop downstairs."

He nodded slowly and his tense posture relaxed a little. "I'm having to work late tomorrow but I guess we could meet there on Thursday. There are things we still need to discuss."

Lily nodded nervously knowing what the things they needed to discuss were. "Is seven thirty ok with you?" He responded by saying that it was and they shared a gentle kiss before they said goodbye.

Finding herself alone, Lily began to get herself into a panic which had nothing to do with Scorpius, and everything to do with the fact she now lived alone. How on earth was she going to survive if she couldn't make anything more than sandwiches, salads and soup? She'd need to ask her grandma for cooking lessons and hire a House Elf so that she didn't need to worry about poisoning herself and others. She added that to her to-do list and then got her portfolio of fashion drawing out and ready for tomorrow.

X

Since Lily wasn't going to be seeing Scorpius on Wednesday she decided to tackle there constantly expanding to-do list. Lily's first task of the morning was to nip down to an agency and see if she could hire a House Elf. There wouldn't be much to do at first and since Lily figured she wouldn't be making too much mess, she only needed to employ one House Elf to cover both her flat and the store.

As luck would have it, a House Elf named Minky was more than happy to take up the challenge. She was smaller than the average House Elf which made Lily think that she was young and this would be her first place of employment. After a short conversation, Lily discovered that Minky was the daughter of her parents' House Elf Binky and was really enthusiastic about working for her.

Together they worked out the details of the contract and Lily was back at the shop by ten as arranged with her cousin Lucy.

Although Lily was not late, Lucy was already there and several deliveries had arrived during Lily's absence. Feeling a little neglectful, Lily set to work. Together with an abundance of magical help, the girls had the counters, railings and dressing rooms quickly installed. Their tasks wouldn't have gone as smoothly if they hadn't prepared well in advance of finding a property. They had made several scale drawing using various floor plans, fitting in all the equipment they had already chosen. They only had to make a few minor adjustments to have the furnishings fitting in perfectly.

After lunch the girls turned up to help and stayed until four thirty. They were grateful for the distraction since they were all dreading the arrival of their NEWT results on Friday morning. Margarita began work on the store sign in the courtyard whilst the others assisted Lily upstairs in creating garments from her drawings. The original garments they created were made by hand. Magic would be used to replicate them in different sizes and fabrics once they met their specifications. Dressmaking was far simpler and less stressful once the 'prototypes' were finished.

Come five in the afternoon, Lucy left to join her husband and Lily stayed up alone working late into the night.

X

Up until six o'clock, Thursday had panned out almost the same as Wednesday. With Lily's three day planned break coming up, She was all set to have the original designs finished by next Wednesday with the help of her friends. The stock of material's had all arrived and the replication processed would more than likely begin next Thursday. By the Saturday they should hopefully have enough stock created to open up the store.

Margarita had finished designing the sign to hang above the shop door. 'Lilu's Boutique' was scrawled in the centre in unpretentious calligraphy. At either side of the name the image of a pink lotus flower bloomed. It was eye-catching and understated all at the same time. Neither Margarita, Lily nor Lucy could have been more pleased with the way it had turned out.

Having experience dealing with customers while working with her mum at the Leaky Cauldron, Delia offered to work behind the tills once the store opened. This was so that Lily could concentrate on her designs and Lucy on production. The girls had many other tasks to complete but Delia's offer took the strain off them a little. It meant that they should only need to work the usual nine to five hours. They could actually still have a social life outside the shop.

The twins also volunteered their services. It may not be what their parents expected from them, but they were really enthusiastic about the opportunity to advise customers what outfits would be flattering on them. After all, they did like telling people what to do. They could also give out tips for hair and make-up. As they saw it, they were giving the wizarding community an invaluable service.

Jess was the only one who wouldn't be as involved from the start. She was studying accounts at Normand's and Byrone's a few streets away. Lily and Lucy both promised Jess the guarantee of a job with them once her training ended. Until then, Lucy was going to take control of the accounts since she'd managed them in her last job.

Come six o'clock, they made plans to meet at Lily at four the next day. Not to work this time but to set everything up for the party. Lily then headed up to her flat for a shower and to change. She had just over an hour before she needed to be meeting Scorpius at the restaurant.

She was nervous and there was no way she could deny it to herself. Today was the day that they were going to decide whether or not to start telling people about them. Lily examined herself in the mirror. Her skin seemed paler than usual but that wasn't unexpected considering how nervous she was.

She'd experimented with different hairstyle but they hadn't looked right so her red locks cascaded freely to her hips. Her make up wasn't as artfully applied as Maggie or Margarita could have done, but she hadn't thought to ask them until it was too late. At least she was happy with the little black dress she wore. It did wonders for her figure and went perfectly with her locket which was currently all crystal and pearl.

She smoothed down her dress and after a deep breath, she set out for her date. As she walked down Diagon Alley with the token clasped firmly in her hand. She slipped a Chameleon Cluster into her mouth so that she wouldn't draw any attention along the way.

Inside the building, Lily waited beside the door jumping whenever it opened. Unidentifiable people walked passed and Lily grew more and more worried that she wouldn't recognise Scorpius by the minute. Maybe the charm didn't work if they didn't arrive together. She was about to leave and wait outside when the door opened and she finally recognised him.

Relief flooded through her as she was able to enjoy the sight of him. This time he wasn't dressed all in black. A navy blue shirt added a splash of colour to his attire. Lily just had to smile at that.

He spotted he almost immediately. "You look stunning." He told her and kissed her cheek. His hand brushing against her waist was the most intimacy either of them had shared in public. Lily's cheeks pinkened ever so slightly.

"Thanks, you're quite the piece of eye candy yourself." She mused. Slipping her hand into his, she led him to an empty table lit by candlelight.

Unsurprisingly, their meal looked and was a lot more appetising than Lily's attempt. They laughed and enjoyed themselves all their way through to dessert when Lily decided they couldn't avoid the discussion much longer.

"Do you think it's time for us to start telling people about us?" Lily asked uncertainly as she fumbled with her dessert spoon. Risking a glance, her eyes flickered to his. He wore a peculiar expression on his face and something flickered behind his eyes. It had goosebumps prickling across her skin. "What?" She gasped struggling for breath. It was all she could do to not lean over and kiss him there and then

He smiled warmly and caught her hand in his. The dessert spoon she'd been fiddling with clattered to the table. "I just like the sound of an 'us' that's all." He said heatedly as he entwined her fingers with his.

Lily lost her internal fight. Leaning across the table, she gently caressed her lips against his. The kiss was brief but full of meaning and had Lily blushing when she realised they were in public. It was only after that she realised that no one would have recognised them if they had seen. So it didn't really matter.

"You look beautiful when you blush and yes, I think we should start telling people now."

Lily's smile was radiant. They'd proved to each other that they were still compatible and enjoyed each other's company. Although she saw the many obstacles that lay ahead, at least that hurdle had been leaped with success.

Butterflies fluttered in her stomach. "How should we tell them? Before, during or after my flat party tomorrow? You are still coming aren't you?" Lily asked and wondered how on earth she was going to hide their relationship if he decided after the flat party was best. All her cousins, friends and brothers would be there.

She also wanted to tell her parents before the rest of her family. They deserved to hear it come from her rather than one of her brothers or cousins. She'd mentioned her thoughts on the subject to him before so she wasn't surprised that he had taken them into consideration.

"I think we should each tell our parents on our own. I suppose I could tell my parents either tonight or in the morning before work. You can then tell your parents when you meet them for lunch tomorrow. You don't have to worry about either of mine storming into your Dad's office before you have chance to tell him. I expect them to take the news well. You made a lasting impression on my Mum and my Dad, well he's had a long time to come to terms with my feeling for you. I'm sure he wont be too shocked to hear that we are actually together now." He grinned before his face turned serious. Lily nodded in agreement as he continued. "Maybe we should tackle your brothers and friends together. We could tell them during the party. We'll-"

"Be surrounded by people so it'll be safer to tell them in a crowd? Less bloodshed." Lily teased although there was nothing funny about the possibility of that reaction.

"Actually I was thinking we'll likely have an easier time of it since they should be in a good mood. I can't see anyone attending one of your parties not being." Scorpius smirked.

"That also sounds good." Lily agreed. Or at least as good as it could be. "But I have a small favour to ask of you?"

"Just a small one? What is it?" He asked curiously.

"My grandparents are having a family gathering on Saturday. They always have it this time of year and everyone will be there. My cousins' bring their partners but I've never invited anyone before. If you are free, would you be my plus one?" She asked hopefully.

Scorpius' lips curved at the corners at her question. "Dinner with your family? An entire house of Weasleys and Potters? Are you trying to get me killed?" He joked, his tone light but there was an undertone of seriousness to his concerns.

"You'll be a guest, they won't make too much of an ordeal about it and most of them will know by then. Maggie will be there and so will Rose, Teddy and my brothers. You've been getting along with them since leaving Hogwarts haven't you?"

"That's before they find out about us. Things may change after tomorrow but I'll risk it to give us a chance." He assured her, giving her hand a gentle squeeze.

"I have to believe that they'll give us a chance. They'll know just by me inviting you that you're important to me. But I'll still prepare them for your arrival. I don't want my grandparents doing into shock."

"I suppose I would apperate outside the Burrow a few minutes after you." He agreed.

Lily sat back in her chair knowing that they covered most of those they had to tell before they became public. There were only two others that hadn't been discussed and they wouldn't be easy to tell. "How should we tell your grandparents?" Lily asked warily.

"Can't I leave that for my parents to do?" He asked in all seriousness.

"Scorpius! Don't you think it would be better coming from us?" Lily questioned, no more eager to do the task than he was.

"No offence but I don't want you anywhere near my grandfather when he first finds out." He said in a cautious tone that had Lily shiver by no means pleasantly.

"So it's unlikely I'll survive the weekend. That's good to know." Lily muttered bitterly with only half seriousness.

Scorpius laughed and got out of his seat so that he could hug her. "I wont let anything happen to you. I promise." He said earnestly and Lily couldn't help but relate to the situation between Duanne and Ollie.

The next couple of days were going to be unpredictable.

**Well that's it for now. I hope you enjoyed reading.**

**(Note about the box/pendants in chapter 38. This will be explained in TSsC. The box is Scorpius's own design and came with two keys. He was always going to use it to keep mementos of his and Lily's relationship. He decided that the two of them should only have access to the box. He transfigured both the keys into pendants, one for each of them in a form which had meaning. A lily and a scorpion, for obvious reasons. He charmed them so that they would match what ever they wore. He always intended on telling Lily about the box and turn each of the pendants into 'portkeys'. This was so that when Scorpius left Hogwarts they would be able to transport to the others side when the wanted. Unfortunately they broke up before Scorpius could mention their function and finish off the magic he started.)**


	40. C40: Breaking the News

**I had a little more time to spare than i expected so i finished another chapter for you all.**

**I want to thank everyone who reviewed my last chapter. It means so much to hear back from my readers.**

**Chapter 40: Breaking the news**

Lily sat gazing at the ominous envelope long after the large barn owl had left. It was sealed shut with the Hogwarts' crest in red wax, so there was no mistaking that the envelope contained her NEWT results. She couldn't bring herself to open it. Her eyes finally broke contact with the object when she sought the time. The deep-set feeling of unease swelled in her gut.

It was not yet time for her to meet her parents but she couldn't just sit there any longer. She leapt to her feet, catching her chair as it threatened to tip back to the floor. Then, without a second thought so she couldn't talk herself out of it, Lily slipped the envelope into the back pocket of her jeans, and headed for the Ministry.

She found her way to the Department of Magical Law Enforcement with little effort. There was a dynamic atmosphere about the place with people working as smaller sections and memos zooming back and forth over her head. She heard her Aunt Hermione chatting away as she walked down the corridor and caught a glance of her hard at work at her desk, as Lily passed her office.

Lily knew her father's office was off a room at the far end of the corridor. Although early, she headed there now.

"What are you doing here?"

Lily spun around to see Albus walking down the corridor in her direction. "I'm meeting Mum and Dad for lunch. Just got my NEWT results." Lily explained.

"How've you done?" He asked eagerly, stopping beside her.

Lily winced. "Don't know yet. I haven't got around to opening it."

His gaze turned empathetic. "I know how you feel. I carried my envelope around for hours before I finally gathered the courage to open it. Now look at me! Auror extraordinaire!"

He began waving his arms around sporadically and Lily felt the tension ease from her body. Soon they were both laughing.

"Mr. Potter, could I please have a word with you in my office?" A severe looking wizard with a stout frame and a thin moustache bellowed from a doorway off the main corridor.

Laughter subsiding, Albus wore his professional face. "Sure thing Mr. Banes, I'll be right with you." Albus called over and the man turned without waiting for him to follow.

"You better go." Lily suggested when Albus made no move to go after him. She didn't want him to get in trouble on her account.

He winked cheekily at her. "Don't worry about him, he's always got a stick up his arse about one thing or another." He paused to give Lily a quick peck on the cheek. "Good luck with lunch and I'll see you tonight. Can't wait to check out this new place of yours." He said enthusiastically.

"See you later Al." Lily said and waved to him as he headed to the doorway Mr. Barnes had previously occupied.

Now that she didn't have any distractions, she was nervous again. Heading further along the corridor, Lily was surprised to find herself being grabbed. Hands came out of nowhere and dragged her into a small supplies room before she even thought to scream.

Heart pounding rapidly, she struggled free and faced her assailant. Relief flooded through her when she recognised Scorpius, but she soon tensed again. "What are you doing, we'll get caught?" She warned, but found herself glad to see him.

He flashed her a cocky little smile. "No one will come looking for me just yet, I'm on early lunch and your father is still in a meeting. I just wanted to give you this."

Before Lily could ask what 'this' was, his lips came crashing down to hers. Caught off guard, it took Lily a while to respond to his lips moving enthusiastically over hers, but she soon got the hang of things. Torn between wanting him and not wanting to be caught out, Lily would push him away and them pull him back to her.

He responded each time with a gentle chuckle before he resumed kissing her. Their hands were all over each other and Lily's jacket went sliding to the floor. If they hadn't bumped into a box of parchments and sent the contents scattering across the floor, they probably wouldn't have stopped. Heaving for breath they took a step back from each other and rectified their clothing.

"How did it go with your parents this morning? You did tell them didn't you?" Lily asked concerned as she smoothed down her top and slipped her jacket back on.

"I told them." Scorpius replied and Lily could hear the smile in his voice as he straightened his work robes. "Mum's really delighted. Apparently she was getting a little worried about me since I've never mentioned a girlfriend to her before. I wouldn't be surprised if you get an invite to one of her shopping trips. She loves to spend at least one weekend a month shopping abroad. And she's already talking about inviting you and your mum to Rome next month."

Lily's eyebrows shot up in amazement. The idea sounded very appealing to her. It implied that Astoria thought their relationship would last. Lily really liked the idea of spending the rest of her life with Scorpius but she couldn't let herself get ahead of things. "And your Dad? How did he take the news?"

He shrugged nonchalantly. "Seems ok with it. He was a little quieter than usual but you can't really read anything into that. Plus with Mum being on cloud nine right now, he's certainly not going to kick up a fuss. When she's happy he's happy!"

"That's good I suppose." Lily smiled. A segment of the weight she carried around on her shoulders disappeared now that at least two Malfoy's wouldn't be gunning for her.

"Look, I heard what you were saying to Al." He said softly, caressing her cheek. "I'm sure you've done well in your exams, there's no need to worry about them."

Lily wrapped her arms around his waist and rested her head against his chest. "Thanks. I'll get around to opening them at lunch. My parents wouldn't allow anything less. That reminds me-" She began, reluctantly pulling away. "I better get going."

"And I better get back to work." He agreed smirking. He grabbed her hand before she could leave. "I'll see you later though around four if that's ok? That's when I finish work and I know the party doesn't start until six, but I heard Maggie and Margarita mention that they were coming to help you set up. Thought we might as well tell them before the rest of the herd arrive."

Lily beamed at him. "Jess and Delia will probably be there but you are welcome to come whenever you want." She told him enthusiastically.

"Thanks. See you then." He kissed her briefly. "You head out first and I'll leave once I've put these parchments away." He told her and after one last look of longing, Lily slipped into the hallway.

Heading into the Auror Department, Lily headed straight for her Father's office. The door was still closed meaning that he was still in his meeting. Lily waited for it to end just outside his door. Leaning against the wall, she rested her head back against it and wrung her hands nervously. She'd recited what she was going to say to her parents once she had them alone and in each scenario she imagined them wanting to murder her. Maybe she shouldn't have kept so many secrets from them, but it wasn't as if she could go back in time to change things. All the Ministry's Time Turners had been destroyed decades ago.

She eventually heard the door click and her head snapped down. Several senior Aurors exited her father's office. With well established awareness they each gave Lily the once over, being drawn to the only person who hadn't been in the room previously. They each inclined their heads in recognition as they all knew who she was even if she didn't recognise them.

Her Uncle Ron was the last to leave. He paused and pulled her into a quick bear hug before one of the other men caught his eye. He then apologised that he had to leave but held the door open for Lily before he left.

Lily found her father sat at his desk pinching the bridge of his nose. He looked exhausted. He'd obviously been working him too hard and was a little stressed out. Not a good start for their lunch!

"Hey Dad are you ready?" She asked and immediately his expression and demeanour changed.

He smiled broadly upon seeing her as his work woes disappeared from him. "I am indeed. Now lets go and find your mother." He said brightly picking up his wand and locking his office door behind them. "She said she'd meet us at the canteen." He said and Lily hooped her arm through his.

Together they went to find Ginny.

X

"There you are!" Ginny cried merrily as she spotted her husband and daughter in the busy canteen. She hugged Lily and then took the arm Harry offered her. "I've got us your favourite table and I've ordered some drinks."

"Marvellous" Harry proclaimed and the three of them headed to Harry's favourite table. It was set aside from the rest of the tables and offered them some privacy if they wanted it. They ordered their food which arrived quickly and began to took in.

Towards the end of their meal the conversation turned towards Lily's exam results. "How did you do Honey?" Harry asked feeling that he'd refrained from asking the question for long enough.

Lily's food stuck in her throat at the question in knowing where the conversation would lead. "Well-" She began anxiously suddenly drawing on a mental blank of what to say.

Ginny squeezed her daughter's hand affectionately and had a calming influence that only a mother's kind touch does. "Oh, It's ok Sweetie. We know you did your best."

Smiling graciously at her mother, she admitted: "It's not that Mum. I just haven't got around to opening the letter. I couldn't bring myself to look."

Both parents gazed at her through understanding eyes. "Would you like me to open it?" Harry offered setting aside his knife and fork.

Tugging the envelope from her back pocket, Lily slid the letter in his direction saying "Please." Harry it and slit open the envelope. He studied the piece of parchment containing her results. "How badly did I do?" Lily asked anxiously after prolonged silence.

"Not bad at all actually." Harry said smiling as he handed the parchment over for Lily and her mother to read. "In fact, you'll have no problem at all securing a place at the Ministry with these results. O's in Care of Magical Creatures, Defence against the Dark Arts, Herbology, Potions and Transfiguration and an E in Ancient Runes. All that and having been appointed Head Girl to put on your résumé, you couldn't be in a better position."

"Oh that's brilliant. I'm so proud of you. Just wait until Nana and Papa find out, they're going to be thrilled." Ginny crooned and wrapped her arms around her only daughter.

Lily felt relief at first but then her stomach dropped. This was the moment she'd been preparing for. At least now she knew that they were in a good mood over her results, so it should hopefully make what she had to say a little easier to hear. "Thanks Mum. But Daddy, I'm not going to be working at the Ministry."

"You're not?" He asked looking surprised.

Ginny beamed at her. "Should I get in touch with my old contacts at the Holyhead Harpies then?"

Lily shook her head and fidgeted with the rim of her sleeves. "No mum, I'm not going to be playing Quidditch either."

There was a moment's silence as they took in the news. "Would you like me to put a good word in at the Daily Profit?" Ginny then asked in utter disbelief.

Lily smiled. "There is no way I could work for them. It's a lot different from when you used to write the Sports column. Rita Skeeter would never be off my case."

"The Paper has gone down hill since she took over, that's true." Harry agreed.

"But Sweetie, surely you should let us help you! We have so many useful contacts, you might as well take advantage of the help we offer." Ginny urged.

Lily looked at both her parents and couldn't help but think about how wonderful they were. "It's really kind of you but I already know what I want to do."

Both her mother and father shared a meaningful glance before turning to their daughter. It looked promising, they were going to hear her out. "And what's that?" Harry asked kindly trying to hide is disappointment that she wasn't going to join him at the Ministry. She really loved him for that.

Taking a deep breath, Lily blurted out an answer that came out like mush. Rolling her eyes, she cleared her throat and started again. "I'm going to open my own clothes shop and design all the items I sell."

There was a long pause between them as Harry and Ginny digested the news. "Oh Sweetie, it that wise?" Ginny asked before Harry stepped in.

"We know you did well designing Victoire's wedding dress and we're not doubting that you are talented.-"

"-But the fashion industry is temperamental and competitive." Ginny continued. "It'll be difficult to stand out in the market since there are so many great designers out there."

'Here goes nothing' Lily thought just before she replied. "I know what the market's like. Please don't hate me when I tell you and don't blame Lucy for not telling either. I made her promise to keep it quiet.

"What are you saying?" They both asked in unison, looking serious.

"I've been designing my own clothes for several years now and I've had my own label since before I started sixth year. I've been selling it through Madam Malkin's until recently. Lucy's been creating them from the designs I would post to her while I was at Hogwarts. Lotus Leaf fashions is mine." Lily drew a deep breath afterward and waited for their reaction.

They both took an intake of breath recognising the name.

"But that's-? Why didn't you tell us? You know you can tell us anything." Ginny asked sounded offended. It tore at Lily's heartstrings to hear it.

"I thought you would want me to concentrate on my studies and stop me from doing my designs until after Hogwarts." She explained quietly. "I managed to juggle all my responsibilities and I've got good grades to fall back on."

"That is true." They both conceded.

"Please don't be too mad at me." Lily pleaded and squeezed a hand belonging to each of her parents.

"Oh we're not mad Honey." Harry assured her with a gentle smile.

"We're proud of you. We've heard all about the success of Lotus Leaf Designs from several people. But no one ever knew who was behind it, now we know why. We just wish you could have told us that's all." Ginny said. Lily smiled sadly at them.

"I supposed we should have guessed with the logo being a water lily. You used to draw them all the time when you were a little girl." Harry mused aloud.

Ginny smiled remembering those times and then turned to Lily. "And those dresses you made for you and your friends a couple of years back. they were of similar quality and style to the formal dresses Lucy kept showing us." Then Ginny's face turned serious when she added. "I'm surprised I never put two and two together. I'm not sure if I like that Sweetie."

Lily hung her head.

"No more secrets, ok?" Harry asked with a serious expression on his face as well.

Lily peered back up at them. "I promise! It was horrible not telling you but I hope you'll understand why I did it. That being said, I have a few more things to tell you!"

"We're all ears." Harry stated and they waited for Lily to start talking again.

"You know I said that I wanted to open my own shop to sell my clothing." Lily started and waited for her parents to nod in acknowledgement. "Well Lucy and I are starting our own business. We've actually rented a place already not far from Gringots bank."

"You have? We could have helped?" Ginny said disbelievingly.

Lily felt really bad again. "I know but we wanted to see if we could do it on our own first and it's wonderful. You'll have to come and have a look at it before it opens. In fact you could come and check out my new apartment at the same time. It's right above the shop!" She ended on a brighter note.

"We'd like that Honey." Harry agreed and resumed eating.

"One more thing!" Lily interrupted, knowing that it was now or never. She looked up and saw that she had their attention again. "You know that lunch at the Burrow tomorrow?"

"Yes"

"Well, I've sent an owl to Grandma to let her know I'll be bringing someone with me. My boyfriend."

"Not another bloody one!" Harry blurted out dropping his fork on the table.

"Harry!" Ginny said soothingly and urged him to calm down. "This one must be important if she'd inviting him to my parents' for dinner."

Lily was so grateful that her mother was with her right then but she didn't know how supportive she would be once she found out who her daughter was dating. "He is important. He's very important to me." Lily assured them.

"Who is he? Do we know him?" Harry asked stiffly. He didn't like the idea of his little girl having a boyfriend. Especially a serious one.

"Please don't be mad Daddy. He's really wonderful and-"

"Who is he?" He repeated, urging his daughter to answer.

Lily's answer came out as a half whisper. "Scorpius Malfoy."

"Oh Godric!" Ginny exclaimed, the colour draining from her face. She knew the news wouldn't go down well with some members of her family. Some of them didn't believe that a Malfoy could change, despite seeing the evidence in both Draco and his son.

Harry made this strange strangled cry and suddenly he was in a fit of laughter.

He didn't think she was serious, Lily mused. Of all the scenarios she'd run in her mind, not once had she imagined this outcome. "What's so funny Dad? I'm being serious. Scorpius and I are together." Lily said misinterpreting the reason behind his laughter.

"And it's about bloody time." Harry boomed surprising both Lily and his wife. "I thought it would never happen. All those times you got in trouble and me knowing how he felt about you. You were always so hot-headed when you were around each other, it was easy to see the chemistry flaring between you two. I was afraid that your stubbornness would get in the way. You get that from you're mother you know! But I'm glad you've finally come to your senses and given the young man a chance."

Ginny looked suddenly very annoyed with her husband. "Why didn't you tell me any of this Harry?" She demanded to know.

Harry coughed and suddenly looked evasive. "Well would you look at the time! I have to be getting back to work!"

"Harry?" Ginny said sternly but Harry didn't reply.

Instead he got off his chair and came to hug Lily looking seriously worried about what his wife was going to do to him. He may me an Auror but no one was a match for a Weasley woman. "Congratulations my dear on your results. I hope you have fun tonight at your party and I'll see you on Saturday. Now give your dear old dad a squeeze."

He then wrapped his arms around her and began using her as a shield.

"You are not getting away from me that easily." Ginny warned but she did seem rather amused by his actions. Once Harry started heading back to his office, she turned to Lily and hugged her once more. "I'm so proud of you but I really have to go and talk to your father. I will not have him keeping things of that importance from me either."

"That's ok. Please will you not tell anyone about Scorpius and I? We want to do that." She asked and Ginny promised. "I'll see you tomorrow."

As her parents left the canteen, Lily remained at the table looking bemused. None of that had gone the way she had expected but she had to admit, she wasn't at all unhappy about how it had panned out in the end. Her mother may seem a little resistant about her and Scorpius, but her father certainly didn't seem to have a problem with the match.

x

Lily exited the Ministry with a huge smile on her face. So she still had to spread the news to a number of relatives and friends, having their parents more or less on their side was really encouraging. Her joy of her examination results came second to that.

When Lily returned to her flat, she instantly discovered that she wasn't alone. Half expecting to see one of the Malfoys waiting for her, she was relieved to find that it was only Margarita and Maggie. Streams of ribbons in Hogwarts colours were shooting out of Maggie's wand and attaching themselves to the ceiling, while Margarita worked on a large banner.

"You're here early!" Lily exclaimed and hung up her jacked by the door. She didn't mind that they had entered without her being home.

Margarita's head snapped up from her work. "Knew you'd be at lunch so we thought we'd pop over and start decorating." She explained with a smirk.

"That and the harpy is screaming about us getting more E's than O's. There's no pleasing that woman." Maggie added in an exasperated tone.

Margarita let out a small chuckle as she recalled something that occurred earlier that day. "And Dad's not happy but for opposite reasons. Apparently he would have been more pleased if we didn't do so well. Seems to think it will be difficult to marry off daughters who have brains. Thinks we come off as intimidating."

"I'm sure he doesn't mean that." Lily offered though it was true that the twins could be intimidating.

Lily knew none of the Zabini children got along with their parents but she couldn't imagine a father saying something like that. She wondered if she'd grown up sheltered coming from such a loving family.

"That's how he put it. Now if he dares to even try and set me up with anyone other than my Albus, I'll show him what women with brains can do." Maggie retorted fiercely and Lily didn't doubt that she could do some damage.

"He's talking about marrying you off already?" Lily asked aghast. In her naivety she had forgotten that arrange marriages still went on and that was definitely what the girls were hinting that their father was going to put them through.

"He's talking but we aint listening!" Margarita snorted and resumed adding the finishing touches to the banner. Knowing that they didn't like being interrupted while they worked, Lily walked over to the kitchen to make them all drinks. She took out a pitcher and began mixing a variety of fruit juices and soft drinks. She may not be able to cook but she could sure make a good cocktail, even without any alcohol.

"How'd you do? All O's?" Maggie asked once the last of the streamers had been put up. She took a sip of the drink Lily just handed her.

"Nah, E in Ancient Runes!" Lily laughed. She wasn't at all bitter that she hadn't got straight O's. It was a massive achievement to do as well as she'd done even if she hadn't had all her extracurricular activities. The three girls cheered and congratulated each other over their success.

Taking a break, the girls sat together sipping their cocktails. "Oh Delia and Jess will be here soon." Maggie informed Lily as an afterthought.

Margarita drained her glass and added: "Don't tell her we told you, but Jess got all O's! She's as happy as a kid in Weasley Wizard Wheeses. Which is where she is right now. She roped Chester into helping her carry the treats and indoor fireworks over."

Lily blanched when she realised Chester was going to her party. Although their relationship was purely platonic, she wondered how Scorpius would feel about being in the same room as her ex. Then the next thought hit her. Were any of her other ex-boyfriends invited to the party? She hadn't had control of the guest list, she'd left that for the twins to handle. Lily was about to ask them who'd been invited when Maggie spoke causing Lily to temporarily forget her worries.

"Delia, Hugo and Brian will be bringing the food and drink." Maggie started.

"We thought we'd set all that stuff out on the kitchen counters if that's alright." Continued Margarita.

Lily shrugged unable to think of a better place for them. "That's fine. How did the others do? Do you know?" She asked curiously.

"Not as good as us." Maggie smirked. "But they got a respectable amount of E's and A's and the odd O between them. Actually I think Hugo got all O's accept one like you. But not too sure about that. You know how hyper Delia gets when she is happy. Couldn't really understand her when she told us. You'll have to ask."

Lily stood up to find her cocktail recipe book in anticipation of Delia's arrival. She planned to mix up a few options before everyone arrived.

"Oh and just to pre-warn you. The spare bedroom is currently a second sitting room." Margarita called after her.

Spinning on her heels, Lily turned back to them. "Is there anything left for me to do?" She asked because apart from the food and drink, everything else was pretty much done.

"Of course there is." Margarita declared and then looked to her sister for an answer.

Luckily Maggie had one prepared. "You get to pick out the music!"

X

Lily did as suggested and picked out all the music for the evening and created a play list. By three o'clock they had nothing to do but wait for the others to arrive with the supplies. Once they did, the boys only stayed briefly. Just long enough to have a quick catch up before they left to do whatever they had to do. In their absence the girls started unpacking their wares; setting out bowls of nibbles and sweets all over the flat; mixing drinks; and anything else they decided needed doing. Delia was humming merrily in her usual upbeat mood.

"I have something to tell you!" Lily announced as she sliced up some fruit to add to the pitcher of Pimms and Lemonade.

"What can you possibly tells us that you haven't already?" Margarita asked rolling her eyes and grinning. "You've talked so much already.

"Shush! It sounds super important" Delia hushed.

"This isn't about that Alain dude is it? You were right to dump his arse." Maggie assured her.

Lily smiled at her best friend trying to find the courage to continue. "This isn't about Alain but I am seeing someone else." She informed them.

"So soon? Why am I not surprised." Jess chuckled and four sets of eyes went rolling.

Amused by her friends behaviour, Lily continued. "This is different. I really care about him."

"Yeah yeah, we've heard that before." Maggie said doubtfully.

Lily was no longer amused and she folded her arms in front of her defensively. "Well the reason I'm telling you all is because he's coming over later."

The news certainly had them interested now. "Is he hot?" Delia chirped.

"Why is that always the first question you ask?" Lily asked in exasperation, her arms falling to her sides.

Jess grinned mischievously in Delia's direction. "I'd take that as a no." She teased and the girls both smirked.

"He's gorgeous Del ok?" Lily sighed.

"Defensive much!" Margarita observed, slipping herself into the conversation. Lily began shaking her head at how amused her friends were on her behalf.

"So, do we know him?" Jess finally asked.

Lily took a sharp intake of breath. "We went to school together. But please don't hold what you knew about him then against him. He's really great if you just give him a chance." Lily gushed out.

Jess nodded. "I'll try to keep an open mind." She agreed.

"Thanks Jess."

Lily knew that all her friends were curious about her mystery boyfriend now. The twins were frowning. "Are you talking about-" Maggie began but Delia came up behind her and placed her hands tightly over her mouth.

"No, don't guess his name, let it be a surprise." Delia urged and when she saw Maggie nod, she let her go.

"I'm not sure if you really want it to be a surprise." Lily supplied as she looked at them. The twins looked highly amused since they'd figured it out. Jess and Delia were still oblivious.

"Sure we do." Jess shrugged.

Lily grimaced when Delia added. "Anyway, he can't be worse than that Peter Cox." She was afraid that neither Delia nor Jess would see it that way.

X

Shortly after four there came a knock at the door. Delia raced to answer it before Lily even had time to react. Delia froze staring aghast at the person standing there. "What are you doing here?" She demanded and Lily knew exactly who was standing on the other side of the door.

"I've come to see Lily."

Every girl in the room recognised his voice. The twins looked amused and Jess stared at Lily in horror.

"Lily?" Delia questioned Scorpius as if she couldn't believe her own ears. She then turned startled towards Lily who was making her way towards the door. "Lily what's Malfoy doing here?" She demanded quietly.

Lily paused at the confused look of denial in Delia's eyes. "He and I well-" Lily stammered and knew there was nothing else she could do but say the words out loud. "He's the new boyfriend I was telling you about."

"You have got to be kidding me!" Jess exclaimed, stomping over to Lily and Delia.

"Have you completely lost your mind?" Delia added.

Scorpius started to try and say something but both the angry girls silenced him with their glares. They were not in the mood for him to have his input just yet. Lily told him it was ok and she could handle it as she tried to calm the pair down. Maggie and Margarita didn't help, but the did offer Scorpius a drink and asked him to sit down while the trio worked it out.

"Do you not remember what he was like?" Delia hissed clearly forgetting the conversation the had earlier about them agreeing to not hold their past perceptions against him.

"It was all an act back then." Lily tried to explain. "He's nothing like who we thought he was. Please, judge him from his actions now." She urged, pleading for her friends to give him a chance.

"No one is that good an actor." Jess gritted.

"You don't know the position he was in. Let him at least tell you his side of the story." She begged.

Delia wasn't having any of it but Lily's words seemed to start having an affect on Jess.

"I still think he's an arrogant, obnoxious, insufferable git and I wouldn't trust his as far as I could throw him Lily. And needless to say, I wouldn't be able to throw him far." Delia spat with uncharacteristic venom in her voice.

Clearly annoyed that they were giving Lily a hard time, Scorpius came to stand next to her. He ignored Jess and Delia's protests. "Do I have to try and like all of your friends Lily? Even the slinky?" He asked sending a pointed look in Delia's direction.

"What-" Lily began, slightly confused by what he was meaning. He was clearly very annoyed with the blonde.

"What did you just call me?" Delia demanded getting in Scorpius' face. Lily faintly heard the twins try and stifle a chuckle and groaned. This was not good.

"A Slinky. No doubt Jess will be able to explain what it is to you." Scorpius shot back at her as Lily dragged him away so they could have a little privacy. Luckily he didn't put up much resistance.

"Please Scorpius. Please try and make an effort with her. We knew we were going to come against some resistance."

"But I wont just stand there and let her say those things about me and talk to you like that." He told her defensively.

Lily flashed him a gentle smile, she knew his heart was in the right place and he hadn't intentionally taunted Delia. "No. We'll set her straight but it may take her a while to see you as anything other than what you pretended to be. But you convinced her that you were someone you're not, so you should be able to convince her of the person you really are." Lily said softly, taking his hand in hers.

"You're right." He sighed. "I'll try and make more of an effort with her." He then grinned puckishly as something just occurred to him. "Does that mean you'll make an effort with Warrington and Goyle?" He asked.

Lily's breath hitched. "You still consider those trolls your friends?" She asked. She had no idea that Scorpius was still friend with them. She always assumed that they were part of his group because they we quite happy following Scorpius and Duanne around and needed a leader. Not because there were any form of friendship between them.

Scorpius grinned at her, bearing his pearly white teeth. "They have their redeeming qualities. I suppose you could call them my friends, yes."

Lily huffed in frustration. There was no way she wanted to talk to those two but she couldn't exactly expect Scorpius to give up his friends for her. And he was trying to make an effort with hers. "Okay, I'll do my best to give them a chance. But please don't call Delia a S-" Lily never got to finish that sentence. Delia stormed over and interrupted them after finding out what a slinky was from Jess.

"Oh you dare push me down the stairs and I'll slice off your balls and wear them as earrings-" Delia roared looking a hundred times more menacing than she'd ever looked before. Lily was surprised to see her looking down right terrifying. It was a very rare to see her without a cheery smile on her face.

"That's disgusting Del." Maggie called over from the settee. Both she and he sister wore identical expressions of disgust.

Delia didn't even pause. She zeroed in on Scorpius and Lily grimaced. "-I may not be the smartest or quickest witch here but I know enough to make your life hell. Just you try me!" She threatened.

"Please Del, he didn't mean anything by it." Lily began in alarm.

Scorpius on the other hand was eying the petite blonde with new found respect. "So you're not all perkiness and rainbows! You've actually got bite."

Delia met his cold stare and neither shrunk away. Eventually Scorpius began to smile as he weighed her up. "You know what Bubbles, I think we'll get on just fine." He said after a moment.

Delia didn't back down but it was clear that she didn't object to the new nickname he'd given her.

"Delia?" Lily urged but only got a "humph" in response. Thinking that that would be the best response she could get from Delia, Lily turned to the other three girls who had arrived by their side while Delia and Scorpius had their glaring match.

"Maggie, Margarita-?" Lily began to ask but they both shrugged before she finished.

"You know we don't mind that you two are dating again." Margarita explained and winced when Maggie nudged her in the ribs.

Jess heard and looked offended and hurt when she looked at Lily. "Again? Lily, when did you date him before?" She asked.

Margarita quickly offered her apologies when Lily answered Jess' question. "Part way through our sixth year."

"And you didn't tell me? But you told Maggie and Margarita." Jess continued sounding more and more hurt by the second.

"She didn't tell me either." Delia huffed still glaring at Scorpius.

Lily didn't know what to do but she needed to put things right between them fast. It had been a mistake to hide something of this importance from her friends. "I'm really sorry about that. I just didn't know how you would react."

Jess saw the sincere regret shining in Lily's eyes and nodded. "Ok. What are friends for. But no more secrets!"

Lily flung her arms around her dear friend. "No more secrets Jess, I swear." Pulling pack, Lily slipped her hand into Scorpius' and smiled adoringly up at him before glancing back at the girls.

"He's nothing like what we thought he was. He came across as being so prejudice and I know he said terrible things about you but he didn't mean them. Not really." As she said the words she knew her words were not going to be enough. Scorpius would have to talk to her. Glancing at him he nodded, reading the question in her eyes.

Scorpius explained his story to them without hesitation or feeling self conscious that he was laying bear too much about himself. They all listened and even the twins looked shocked by the end of it. The news was new to all but Lily.

"I'll get my head around this eventually." Jess said, finally choosing to give Scorpius a chance. He nodded in thanks.

There was only one person they needed an answer from. Delia rolled her eyes and huffed. "I suppose I can give him a chance, for you." She told Lily and then turned threateningly towards Scorpius. There was a little less menace in her eyes and voice when she warned: "But if you even think about hurting our Lily then I'm making those earrings. Got it?"

Scorpius looked amused by the threat. "I suppose it's a good thing I plan to keep her happy" He told her firmly. He glanced towards Lily, an unguarded expression of love in his eyes which elicited a gasp form more than just Lily.

Surprised by what she saw in the Slytherin's eyes, Delia was even more surprised when she found herself offering he hand to him. He surprised her again by actually taking it and shaking before he went to slip back into the space next to Lily.

"Oh tonight is going to be fun!" Maggie smirked and Margarita concurred. Lily wasn't at all convinced that she agreed with that observation. But one thing was for sure, tonight was going to be eventful.

**So? What do you think of the reactions so far? Have there been any surprises?**

**(One of my friends once told me small people are like slinkys; amusing when you push them down the stairs. Being of less than average height myself, I took offence. What did he do then? Bought a bloody t-shirt with it written on the front and stood beside me the entire night. He wondered why I wasn't amused.) :D**


	41. C41: Time to Celebrate

_Thanks for reading and reviewing._

**Chapter 41: Time to Celebrate**

All the preparation for the party was finally done and music played in the background. Lily sat on the sofa next to Scorpius, his arm snaked around her shoulders. The twins sat on the settee opposite chatting to Scorpius and her, despite her inattention. She was only vaguely listening to the conversation going on around her. Lily knew she should be happy that her friends and her boyfriend were all in the same room together without going for each others throats. However, two of her friends weren't exactly happy with her, not that she blamed them. She would be mad at her as well if she were in their position. They felt betrayed and despite assuring her that they would come around eventually, it was probably going to take a while and a lot of effort on her part. All was not forgiven.

Lily remembered using the silent treatment before when she'd been angry and annoyed. She'd never realized how annoying it was until both Delia and Jess decided she needed a dose of her own medicine. They sat at the dining table muttering to each other. Both had their backs to her, acting to segregate themselves from the rest of the room's occupants. Jess was also doing something to the vodka jelly shots they had set out on the table top. She was casting non-verbal spells so Lily was left to wonder what exactly Jess was doing to them. Whatever she was doing, it was also turning the jelly shots from green to yellow.

"You're staring at them again." Maggie warned. Lily blinked several times and refocused her gaze on the people around her.

"Sorry! I spaced out a bit." Lily admitted and Scorpius rubbed her shoulder affectionately. She really wasn't in the place to begrudge her friends of a few secrets of their own.

"They'll come around eventually." He told her reassuringly and kissed the top of her head. "Just let them get it out of their system first."

"I should have told them about us the first time around. I should have trusted them." Lily sighed and rested her head against his shoulder.

He took a swig of his Butterbeer. "We all make mistakes, especially when we're scared." He told her speaking from experience. "You made your decisions based on what you thought was correct at the time."

Lily wondered when he had become so wise. She squeezed his hand that lay on her shoulder in appreciation. She had to agree: hindsight was a bitch! There was no point dwelling on what she should have done; now she had to think about what she was going to do. She sighed heavily and got to her feet. "I'm going to get changed for the party. Feel free to use the bathroom or the spare room if any of you wish to change." She turned to Scorpius and smiled. "I won't be long."

He rolled his silver grey eyes and smirked, clearly not believing that. She was determined to prove him wrong. In less than twenty minutes she emerged from her room wearing a pair of jeans and a sparkly silver crop top. About six inches of her midriff was bared and it was enough to show off her tattoo. She hoped it would remind Delia and Jess that they were still the best of friends.

At six o'clock the guests began arriving. Lily didn't know who exactly to expect, but the Gryffindors from her year were the first to arrive. They came together in a group. Hugo and Brian walked in first and Jess handed them two of the original green jelly shots. They both noticed Scorpius talking to Maggie but made no comment on his presence since the Malfoy's and Zabini's were friends after all. After saying hello to Lily they went to get a drink and joined Margarita and Delia. Lily stood by the front door to greet the other Gryffindors along with Jess.

Coleen followed the two boys walking hand in hand with Chester. By the looks of things, they were dating again. Jess handed Chester a green jelly shot and then appeared to intentionally offer Coleen a yellow one. Lily watched curiously as Coleen downed the shot but nothing visible happened. Lily frowned when Jess continued to hand more yellow shots to the other Gryffindor girls, Mira and Theresa, as well as their Gryffindor boyfriends Erik and Philip.

Lily wondered if Jess had only changed the colour and flavour, but then she didn't understand why Jess seemed to monitor who got what jelly shot. Jess ignored Lily's questioning gaze and Lily decided to go and mingle with her guests. At least they would talk to her. She left Jess to do whatever it was that she was doing and observed from a distance. As more guests arrived, Lily was certain that there was a reason and an intention about the distribution of the jelly shots. It wasn't long before her flat was full of her classmates, fellow Quidditch players and members of her family.

The first hour seemed to go without incident. Lily flitted from group to group and had something to say to each of them. Her cousins Fred and Roxanne were already letting off the indoor fireworks and attempting to prank anyone they came into contact with. Roxie and Fred were two cousins Lily doubted would ever grow up. Slytherins Kallin Nott and Mercedes King took the brunt of their pranks but were more than happy to carry out a battle of wits. Both sides managed to hold their own.

Scorpius was busy chatting to Albus, Teddy, Henry and even James. Lily was surprised to see the way James now behaved around Scorpius even though Rose had told her before hand. It was just really strange to have them in the same room without James watching the other suspiciously.

Trusting that she could leave Scorpius alone with her brothers, Lily moved into the spare room. She was amazed by the difference between the room it had been in the morning and what it was now. Instead of being a large bedroom, comfortable chairs had been crammed into the room. Lily found several of her cousins there. Molly sat with Victoire and Dominique.

Molly seemed a little uncomfortable but that was probably because of her advanced pregnancy. The three pregnant women sat in the corner of the room. Lily guessed they were staying as far away from the mayhem Roxie and Fred were causing in the other room. Lily joined them for a while, knowing that they wouldn't be staying long since Victoire and Domi had to get back to their children. Bill and Fleur were looking after their three precious infants.

As Lily caught up with them she noticed that Victoire kept throwing Molly concerned glances which Lily couldn't work out the reason for. She pondered over it for a while until she was dragged off by Amelia and Rose.

It was then that trouble started in the form of Jebediah Smith. Drunk before he even arrived, he began groping Lily and making suggestive comments. She'd fought him off all year using Jaz as a shield but now that she appeared dateless again, he was back to his usual habits. Only now alcohol was in the mix and he was being much more of a brute.

If he hadn't been Head Boy, Lily doubted he would have received an invite. In fact she definitely wouldn't have invited him. Lily wished she'd asked Maggie to have gone over the guest list with her before the invites were sent out, especially since Scorpius and she were going to announce their relationship. Some of her guests couldn't be trusted to keep the news to themselves, so Lily was going to have to gather her family in a separate room to tell them.

Lily asked Smith to leave her alone as politely as possible at first. He didn't listen and continued hitting on her. Lily's anger rose with each insinuating comment. Rose and Amelia also asked him to back off but he didn't pay them any mind either. Lily began wishing that she hadn't left her wand in her bedroom. She didn't want to cause a scene, but she was wishing she was able to hex the obnoxious prat.

When he pinched her bum for the fifth time, she'd had enough. She shouted her objections to him this time, but he still failed to get the message. Lily fought to control the urge to hit him and knew she was going to have to throw the fool out. Her shouts had attracted the attention of her guests. As Smith continued to ramble about how uncooperative and uptight Lily was, he didn't even appear to realize that he was pissing off other people than just her.

She wasn't at all surprised when Scorpius came to her aid. "She asked you to leave her alone! Is your brain that miniscule that you can't understand? Or is your ego that puffed up with self importance that you think she can't possibly be rejecting you." Scorpius snapped gripping fistfuls of Jebediah's jumper.

Smith's nostrils flared at the interruption and didn't pay heed to the threatening tone in Scorpius' voice. "How dare you?" He huffed pompously. "This has nothing to do with you. It's between me and Lily!"

"Now that's where you are wrong!" Scorpius replied in a menacing tone; fear finally flashed in the Hufflepuff's eyes. Smith struggled to free himself from the former Slytherin's grasp. "It has everything to do with me. Now if you want to continue having use of your arms, I'd keep your hands off her." He threw Smith backwards into the wall and seemed unaware of the crowd now gathering to watch. Lily was aware of the eyes on them and groaned with dread. She wondered how they were going to explain Scorpius' actions to the others.

The Hufflepuff was staring at Lily in utter disbelief when he worked out the meaning behind Scorpius' threat. His face then changed into one of revulsion. "You're dating Malfoy? You've really lowered your standards now." He sneered in a low tone that only Lily and Scorpius could hear.

Scorpius made a move to grab Smith again but Lily reached out to stop him. The last thing they needed was to draw any more attention to themselves. This was not how she wanted everyone finding out. She needed to gather her family together quick, before Smith mouthed off for everyone to hear.

Lily soon found out that it was too late.

"What the hell is going on?" Albus demanded to know as he glared at the Hufflepuff. Lily was surprised Smith wasn't squirming under such a gaze and she dreaded her brother turning it on her. His first assessment of the scene had Albus believing that Scorpius was standing up for Lily like any decent man would when a lady was in distress. She was concerned about how he would react when he knew the truth.

Lily tried to quickly defuse the situation but the Hufflepuff opened his mouth and blabbed before she could silence him. He held up his hands in front of him so that the angry Auror could see where they were. "Hey I'm not the one screwing your sister! But I have to say, I thought you wouldn't have let _him_ get anywhere near her."

Lily cringed at the words. It didn't matter that he had made a gross exaggeration of the stage of her relationship with Scorpius. That damage was done. Albus turned his feral gaze on Lily while Smith appeared highly amused by the turn of events.

"What is he talking about?" Albus demanded and Lily winced at the words. This was so not how she wanted her brother to find out. They were also attracting an even bigger audience since they had all heard Smith's declaration. Lily saw several other members of her family watching the scene with growing frowns. She was relieved when she didn't spot James. She didn't want the two of them anywhere near Scorpius in this situation. Her ex boyfriends Kallin and Chester were even staring at her in surprise but Lily focused her attention on Albus.

"We were going to tell you Al…" Lily told him softly.

"You're a-? You two-? You and _you_!" He stumbled over his words in shock as he tried to digest what was going on.

Scorpius braced himself and moved Lily so that she stood behind him. Lily was touched by his effort to protect her but she didn't believe it was necessary. Albus was not the brother she was worried about. She was afraid of how James would react when he finally worked it out; Albus was the more rational one. She never expected to find out her beliefs about Albus would have turned out to be wrong.

When his brain finally kicked in gear, his gaze turned predatory. "I'm going to kill you for this." He growled and lunged for Scorpius.

There was lots of shouting after that. Some trying to stop them while others jeered them on; although both men could hold their own in a fight, Scorpius had no intention of hitting his friend. He acted only to block and dodge the punches Albus was throwing his way.

"Al, please stop and hear us out." Lily pleaded along with Scorpius and tried to break them apart. Albus elbowed her out of the way and she went flying backwards. She collided with the kitchen counter smashing her shoulder. As she steadied herself she knew she'd be bruised in the morning.

Ignoring the fact that Albus was still after blood, Scorpius tried to see if she was ok. "Don't hurt him!" Lily screamed as Albus used Scorpius' distraction to land his fist on Scorpius' jaw. There was a horrible crunching sound that made Lily sick to her stomach. Something inside her snapped. She began screaming at her brother hysterically and Rose hurried to her side. If it wasn't for her older cousin holding her back, Lily would have probably done something reckless, getting herself hurt in the process.

Unfortunately Rose couldn't prevent the emotional pain she was feeling by seeing her man hurt; nothing could have prepared her for that. Tears streamed down her face as she watched Scorpius block another punch as he tried to reason with Albus, becoming slowly hysterical with each moment.

"What the hell, Al?" James was shouting and hurried through the crowd to reach them. Lily suddenly realized that he'd actually been there the whole time. He'd been studying the two men intently but as soon as Lily got hurt is when he decided to intervene.

James tried his best to restrain Albus since it was clear that Scorpius was only blocking to defend himself rather than retaliating in turn. Albus was so riled up that Teddy had to come and help.

Scorpius took the opportunity to get to Lily and comfort her. She flew into his arms and sobbed against his chest. One arm wrapped around her shoulders as the other cradled the back of her head. Reading the scene in front of them, all her guests now knew about her and Scorpius. Lily didn't care about that right now. All she cared about was that Scorpius was ok. He whispered his assurances quietly to her and Lily listened to only his voice until her sobs died down.

"Family meeting. Now." She heard James demand through the haze. When she looked away from Scorpius' chest, she saw both James and Teddy drag a still struggling Albus into her bedroom. The rest of her cousins and their partners began to follow them and Lily felt Rose nudge her forwards. Too emotional to object, Lily dragged Scorpius with her.

"Maggie?" Lily said beseechingly as she passed her best friend.

Maggie nodded. "I'm on it!" She assured her and turned to handle the guests. "Help yourself to more drinks everyone; just a little family matter that you needn't be concerned about." She told them and once the crowd began to quiet down, she and Margarita followed the rest of the Weasley/Potter family into the master bedroom. They cast spells on the door so that they wouldn't be interrupted or overheard.

The room was mainly silent. The occupants' gazes moving swiftly between Albus who was still struggling against his brothers' restraining hold and Lily who was being held protectively by the Malfoy heir. Lily looked at her relatives as they stared back with varying looks of confusion, anger and surprise.

Molly, Victoire and Dominique sat on the window-seat as far away from Albus as they could get. Their husbands apart from Teddy stood nearby. Teddy stood with James on the other side of the room and forced Albus into the arm chair in the corner. They were both preventing him form getting back up and he wasn't happy about it. Margarita, Hugo and Delia sat on Lily's bed while everyone else either stood around the room or grabbed something to sit on.

Lily could see that Maggie looked torn. She didn't know whether she should go to stand by her man or her best friend and the man she thought of as a brother. Lily caught her eye and understood her dilemma. She nodded her head for Maggie do go and stand beside Albus.

Mouthing her thanks, she went to perch on the edge of the bed near Albus.

"How could you Scor? You're supposed to be my friend." Albus hissed, breaking the silence. His emerald eyes were narrowed into slits.

"I am your friend, Al." Scorpius replied in all earnest but Albus didn't look like he believed the words.

"Bull! All this time you've been playing nice, trying to get me to trust you and all the while you've been screwing my sister behind my back. Some friend you are!" He spat viciously and there were several sharp intakes of breath echoing around the room.

Lily tightened her arms around Scorpius' waist and opened her mouth to set her brother straight but Scorpius got there first. "I love her but we haven't gotten that far." Scorpius replied trying to find a way to put it that wouldn't aggravate the males in her family. Lily smiled at his tact and was glad that he didn't have a death wish.

"Oh stop acting the hero. I don't believe that for one second-" Al began but Lily's temper began to flare up at the reference to the newspaper article. She fought back, stunning her brother into silence.

"You have no idea what's going on. You shouldn't believe everything that's reported in the papers. You should know that by now. Plus Smith only said that because he's bitter that I'll never be interested in him. Scorpius is telling the truth when he said we haven't - I haven't- I've never-" Lily paused and knew she was blushing profusely.

She really wished she didn't have to have this conversation with her brothers in front of everyone. "Do I really have to spell it out Al?" She asked and when he didn't seem to get what she was trying to say, she sighed. "I'm still a virgin." She confessed and heard a few murmured sighs of relief from her brothers and a few cousins. Lily thought that was rather hypocritical of them since she doubted many if any could say the same. So what if half of them were married and the others in serious relationships. Her relationship was serious as well and they should respect that!

Lily felt Scorpius' arms tighten around her and although Al still looked angry, the urge to attack Scorpius seemed to pass. "You can let go of me now, James." Albus told him.

"Have you calmed down enough to listen to them?" James asked without loosening his hold.

Albus glared up at his older brother. "Why are you even defending him?" He asked and Lily had to admit that she was interested in finding out the answer herself. From past experience, she expected it to have been James and not Albus to lose his temper.

"Sounds wrong, doesn't it." James smirked. "I defend him because our Lily loves him. I thought that was obvious by the way she was screaming at you before."

"You can't possibly know that." Albus protested.

"Well if you just listen to them," James began knowingly, "They'll tell you that this is not the first time they've dated and she fell in love with him years ago."

Everyone in the room gasped at James after his nonchalant statement. Lily broke free from Scorpius' embrace and took several steps towards her elder brother. "When? How could you have known?" She queried uncertainly.

"Please Lily, I'm not blind." He said in a slightly mocking tone. "Or at least I wasn't when I finally opened my eyes."

Lily frowned and started shaking her head. She didn't understand why he was being so laid back about this. "I'm confused." She confessed and slumped onto the bed between Margarita and Delia. Hugo was glaring at her from the other side of Delia but he hadn't said anything yet. He was waiting to hear them out like everyone else. Lily stared at her hands resting in her lap, unwilling to catch anyone's at the moment.

James finally let go of Albus and went to kneel in front of his sister. Albus remained where he was, watching them coldly.

"I saw you two together." James told her and covered her hands with his. "That night just before it all kicked off between you and McLaggen." Lily flinched at the memory the reminder triggered. That was the most painful night in her life.

Slowly and hesitantly, she raised her gaze to meet his. His expression was soft, caring and full of concern. It was so unexpected. "I thought he was harassing you when I saw you dancing with him." He continued and began to frown. "Then you turned my way and looked terrified. I didn't realize it then that you were actually terrified of Al's and my reactions. I thought it was because of him, so I tried to follow you when you ran out of the Hall. It took a while but I eventually found the two of you together outside the castle."

Lily remembered him finding her when she was sobbing but she hadn't realized he'd been there that long. "You saw-?"

He placed a finger against her lip to silence her and everyone seemed to be straining to hear every word he said. "I saw how upset you were when you broke things off with him and I felt terrible knowing I was partly responsible. I tried talking to you about it but you didn't want to talk about it. And then everything else happened and you seemed to move on."

Lily could feel that she was crying again as she recalled that night. Her cheeks were wet and James tried to wipe her tears away with his palms. His kindness was the final straw, it was all too much. She threw her arms around his neck and buried her face in his shoulder. She'd spent so much time worrying about his reaction when he found out, she hadn't realized that he had been worried for her. For him to have known that she loves Scorpius was enough for James to accept him.

"That's why you've changed so much in the way you treat him!" Rose mused as everything clicked into place in her intelligent mind. Lily felt another set of arms wrap around her and James willingly passed her to the man she loved.

As Scorpius comforted her, she heard James voice what she now knew in her heart to be true. The rest of her cousins seemed to agree with him. They accepted Scorpius because in their eyes, they saw him as hers. In belonging to her, he also belonged to them; that was the amazing thing about the Potters and Weasleys. They protected and accepted what was theirs.

James finally turned to Scorpius once the mutterings began to calm down. Scorpius gave him his full attention and Lily listened, her arms still tightly wrapped around him, unwilling to let him go. Patting the former Slytherin affectionately on the shoulder, he confessed, "I decided you deserved a break. If Lily loved you then she was obviously seeing something that you kept hidden from us for years. I wanted to give you a chance to put things right."

Scorpius nodded and was about to open his mouth to reply but Al exploded from the corner. "I don't believe this." He yelled and stormed out of the room slamming the door behind him.

Both Lily and Maggie called after him and started to follow. Teddy stopped them. Placing a restraining hand on both girls' shoulder, he ignored Maggie's death glare. "Leave him be for now, he just needs some time by himself. He'll come to you when he's ready to talk." He beseeched them, knowing his youngest brother. Both girls finally nodded and Lily rejoined Scorpius.

Together they talked to her family as they filtered out into the room where the party was still continuing. A few looked over at them curiously but most were too involved in enjoying themselves.

"I'm happy for you both. It took you long enough to get your act together." Rose grinned drawing them both into a hug.

"Thanks Rose for not saying I told you so." Lily smirked sarcastically. Rose chuckled and dragged Harrison away to get more drinks. They were two who didn't seem at all bothered about Lily and Scorpius' relationship. Lily was really glad of that.

"Welcome to the family. It's good to have you back." Lucy announced and kissed Scorpius on the cheek. Louis slapped him on the back in agreement. Lily remembered Scorpius telling her that they had been friends with him when he'd been in his first year. They hovered nearby as Roxie and Fred came out.

They joked around with Scorpius but their eyes said that they were reserving judgment on him until they got to know him better. They weren't sure of whether he was deserving of their cousin just yet. "Are you really sure you want to join the family? They'll make it difficult for you to escape." Armand said in a way that was almost a warning. It earned him a complaint from his wife and a bellowing laugh from his brother-in-law.

"You love it Armand, don't even try and pretend you don't." Fred boomed and Armand grinned as the ribbing continued between them.

Victoire hugged Lily and kissed both of her cheeks. "I told you once that I would stand by you no matter what. Do you remember the rest of that conversation?" Lily nodded remembering that it was her oldest cousin's words that had convinced her to give Scorpius a chance. "I'm glad you were talking about Scorpius, he's a lovely boy."

Reading between the lines, Scorpius seemed to have an idea of what they were talking about. He thanked Victoire for convincing Lily to come around all those years ago. He was really grateful to her.

Hugo didn't seem too impressed by their relationship, just like Delia hadn't taken the news well. However he did see something that amused him about the situation. When Lily asked what he found so amusing he replied with: "I can't wait to see Dad's face when he finds out!"

Lily visibly paled and felt Scorpius putting a supporting arm around her. Several of her family members seemed amused while others, like Lily and Victoire, didn't appreciate the comment.

"When will that be?" Fred asked in amusement. He was clearly eager to watch the show.

Roxie gasped all of a sudden, before Lily could reply. "Grandma told me Lily was bringing her new boyfriend to lunch tomorrow. I didn't believe her because Lily never brings anyone. I thought she was going senile in her old age." She laughed. That revelation seemed to interest all who were there.

"It's going to be one for the photo album. I'll make sure I bring a camera." Hugo laughed and that was the general consensus among all her cousins. Lily just rolled her eyes. It just figured that they would see the funny side to this.

Lily glanced around the room and her guests. She only trusted about half of them to not go blabbing her personal business to everyone they meet. The news was bound to get to someone's ears that were going to abuse the information. "Do you reckon they'll find out before we tell them?" Lily asked Scorpius, concerned. "One of them in there is bound to blab." She groaned thinking of Smith.

"They can't!" Jess announced suddenly and Lily looked at her.

"What do you mean by that Jess?" Lily asked curiously. She felt sick to the stomach about the idea of her family finding out about this particular relationship from the newspaper.

Jess shrugged, looking very pleased with herself. "They can't tell anyone about tonight for forty eight hours. The ones we can't trust to keep this to themselves have had their tongues tied."

"The jelly shots." Scorpius said flatly in sudden understanding. He'd been watching them earlier as well.

Everything clicked into place. The spell Jess had been casting on the Jelly shots was a tongue tying charm so that they couldn't go away with anything to harm Lily without giving her a chance to correct things. "Jess you are a genius." Lily cried and flung her arms around her friend. Jess was stiff at first but soon relaxed.

"I know!" She said smugly and Louis was beaming at his girlfriend with pride. All of Lily's family members there were impressed by Jess's quick thinking and adaptability.

The sound of air hissing through someone's teeth had them all taking a step back to see what was going on. Lily glanced around to see if someone had overheard something they shouldn't have but spotted Molly with a pained look on her face. The hiss had been one of pain and it had come from her.

Everyone began asking her what was wrong and both Victoire and Christopher looked more concerned than the rest. Molly allowed her husband to fuss over her but looked directly at Lily "Well it's been really great seeing this place and meeting Scorpius, Lily, but I'm afraid I'm going to have to go now. These contractions are getting a little close for comfort."

The family was in uproar after her unexpected confession. They couldn't believe what was happening. Christopher was beginning to panic and Lucy rushed to her sister's side. "I knew it! Why did you lie to me?" Victoire asked accusatively.

Molly glared at her. "With Domi being in labour for thirty eight hours with Luc, why do you think?"

"When?" Victoire demanded as they guided Molly to the front door of the flat.

"My water broke this morning. Now can someone please take me to the hospital." Molly snapped, getting a little agitated as she started to get nervous. She'd been ignoring her labour pains the entire time she had been there.

She managed to nod at Lily on her way out. "Enjoy the rest of the party. I may see you tomorrow depending on how much longer this little tyke is going to take in arriving."

Lily was too shocked to reply.

As Lily and the others waved off Molly, her sister, their husbands and Victoire, two others joined the party. Duanne and Ollie turned up hand in hand. Ollie carried a couple of bottles of wine and handed them to Lily. "It was good of you to invite us." She began knowing that their invite had come directly from Lily. Lily welcomed Ollie into her home and Duanne mentioned that he was looking forward to seeing what she had done to the place.

As the girls talked, Duanne was watching the commotion caused by Molly being rushed off and then eyed Lily strongly as Scorpius came to stand by Lily's side. His eyes widened and he appeared disappointed. "Don't tell me I've missed all the fun." Duanne asked eyeing Scorpius and the casual way he had his arm around her.

Lily rolled her eyes. "Cat's out of the bag on Scorpius and I. And Mol's about to have her baby if that's what you mean."

"And you couldn't wait for me? You suck." Duanne complained.

"Sorry. I didn't realize you wanted front row seats. I'll try and be more accommodating next time." Lily bit out grumpily. Ollie shrugged apologetically to Lily and went to hug Scorpius, leaving Duanne and Lily to continue their conversation.

"Now, now Beautiful." Duanne teased. "Don't get your knickers in a twist on my account."

Lily just about managed stop the smile that threatened to show her swelling amusement. "You have no effect whatsoever on my underwear, Duanne." She retorted sharply.

He feigned a look of anguish at her comment. "Ouch. You're killing me!"

She couldn't prevent the smile from forming this time. "Don't you mean I'm killing your ego?"

"There's that smile I was looking for!" Duanne announced triumphantly. Then he glanced over at Ollie who still had her arms wrapped around Scorpius. "Now I better go and detach my Ollie from Scorpius' neck before my ego takes another hit." He said without a trace of genuine concern before shouting. "Hey Scor! Get your hands off my girl."

Scorpius burst out laughing and Ollie just beamed back at her boyfriend before quickly rejoining him.

Lily and Scorpius began to head back to the party but Teddy stopped them. "Can I have a word outside with you Scorpius?" He asked in a way which said it would be unwise for Scorpius to refuse.

"Can't you do that another time and just enjoy yourself?" Lily pleaded with her god brother. He sounded too serious and didn't think either of them needed serious after what had happened with Albus.

"It's ok Lily, I'll be back." Scorpius assured her and kissed her forehead. Lily reluctantly let the two go and they walked in the direction of Diagon Alley so that they couldn't be over heard.

X

Lily rejoined the party to reassure herself that everyone was having fun. Albus hadn't come back and Maggie looked a little worried as she sat chatting to her sister and Dominique. Jebediah Smith had also left the party with a few of his Hufflepuff friends, but Lily didn't lament his absence.

Lily was so grateful to Jess that he wouldn't be able to go blabbing to anyone about her and Scorpius. He was just the type to do so and Lily didn't want the rest of the family finding out from anyone but her.

Without Scorpius there, Lily found it difficult to get back in the party spirit although Duanne did manage to cheer her up a bit. Ollie was also fun to be around. She found everything relating to magic fascinating and was amused by the Weasley Wizard Wheezes joke products. Lily was surprised that only Rose and Jess seemed to realize Ollie was a muggle. Her other house guests assumed that she had been home schooled.

Lily found herself too distracted thinking about what Teddy and Scorpius were discussing, and thinking where Albus had stormed off to, to properly enjoy herself. She felt emotionally drained so Lily decided to sit in the stairway and escape for a few minutes. Everyone was so engrossed in what they were doing she doubted she would be missed.

Exiting her flat, Lily sat on the top step of the flight of stairs leading down to the alley. She'd been there several minutes when her brother joined her. They sat side by side in silence for a while, before Lily tuned to Albus and acknowledged his presence with a small "hey." She didn't know what else to say. She didn't know if there were any words she could offer her brother that would make him feel better.

He turned to her, his eyes not actually meeting hers but focused on the wall behind her. He returned her greeting stiffly and sighed. He seemed to be struggling with himself, trying to determine whether he should stay and talk to her or leave her alone. His hands gripped the top steps so hard that his knuckles turned white. Lily noticed that and placed her hand on top of his in hope that it would encourage him to stay.

She didn't want to get into a shouting match with him again, but she felt that they needed to talk through their issues tonight. It would just get worse if they left it. "I'm sorry you found out from Smith. It wasn't meant to happen that way."

"I honestly don't think I would have taken it any better if I had found out any differently." He admitted but flipped his hand so that he could squeeze hers. "I've never liked the idea of you dating but I'm furious with you and Scorpius right now."

He said it calmly and Lily knew how difficult it was for him to admit it. "Are you going to be mad at us for long?" She asked meekly.

He smiled slightly and nodded. "Probably, but I promise to work on it."

Lily could accept that. At least he was being honest and they both needed honesty right now. "I never wanted to hurt you."

"I know that you never mean to hurt anyone but sometimes it happens." His tone wasn't accusatory, just matter-of-fact.

"Why is it so bad that Scorpius and I are together?"

He finally met her eyes. They were sad and confused as he tried to work out how to explain how he was feeling. "Not bad exactly, just a little weird." He paused and Lily waited patiently for him to continue. He frowned deeply and Lily knew this was definitely not the time to warn him about getting frown-lines.

"I used to think of him as my brother. I loved him like a brother. But he turned his back on me." Albus explained, trying to keep the emotion from his words. Lily nodded. She knew a little about what had happened from what Scorpius had told her, but she'd never heard her brother's side of the story. She continued to listen without interrupting.

"It hurt more than I can explain to see him turn against me. I didn't understand what had happened to cause his change in behaviour because he never really told me what he was going through. I used to tell him everything. I felt betrayed but I always thought that we could work it out after the summer holidays. I had hoped we both would have gained some perspective."

He stopped again and let out a low hiss as he recollected those years. Lily didn't realize how painful a time that had been for her brother but she was starting to get it. He continued, "But then second year happened and it didn't look likely that we would ever get things back to how they were. I know I didn't help the situation and nor did James. I learnt to hate him and believe me when I tell you, hating someone I thought of as a brother changed me in ways I never wanted. I hated the person I was turning into but I didn't let anyone else see. I tried to pretend that everything was normal. James of course saw through me. He always does. That's why he hated Scorpius and didn't like seeing him near any of us. Why we both hated him being near you. He'd make you so angry and you'd always lose your temper around him. We didn't want what happened to me to happen to you. You turned into quite a bitch at times but thankfully you changed. I never realized that it was because of your relationship with him that caused you to change."

Lily didn't hold back when she hugged him from the side. "I'm ashamed of how I have behaved in the past, to him and to others. I don't know how I would have ended up if Scorpius hadn't- How do I put this? -changed my opinion of him. I uncovered feelings for him that I had unconsciously suppressed. They were part of the reason for the constant tension between us." Lily admitted and apologized for interrupting. "But Scorpius did a lot of acting in school. He was just trying to fit in with the rest of the members in his house."

Albus nodded and continued with his story. "I know. After school, things changed. We began working together and suddenly he was the old Scorpius again. I couldn't understand the change in him but he then explained everything. Ever since, I've been seeing him as a brother again. But then, as I found out about you two, I thought that he'd only tried to put things right between us because of you. How long have you been together? This time?"

"You don't have to worry about his motives to be friends with you again. We've only been together for about a week. I had nothing to do with that and I'm sure he'll tell you something similar when you talk to him."

Albus smiled gratefully and hugged her back. "Thanks. That's good to know. I know I'm being selfish but I don't want to lose his friendship again. I think I may have overreacted but it's weird that you two are together. If anything happens- If thing don't turn out- if they end bad, things won't be the same between me and him." He confessed struggling over the words and there was a trace of shame in his tone.

Lily's first instinct was to reassure her brother. "If things don't work out between me and him, I don't want it to affect your relationship with him. I would never begrudge your friendship."

He let out a hollow laugh. "Of course it would affect our friendship. You're my sister."

"But I don't want it to." She replied adamantly. "I swear! Just like things won't change between Maggie and me if you and her don't work out; how I will still love Delia and Jess if they split up with Hugo and Louis. Family is important but some friendships are worth keeping. Plus my love for you is unconditional." Lily finished with a light chuckle as the last of the tension eased between them.

"I have every intention of asking Maggie to marrying someday. You don't have to worry about my relationship with her getting in the way of your friendship. It's a bit different to your situation; she's the only girl I've ever really wanted to be with." Albus pointed out lightly.

"But I really want what Scorpius and I have to last. I can't imagine being with anyone else either." Lily informed him but he looked sceptical. She had a feeling it was probably because of her flitting from relationship to relationship over the last couple of years. He didn't seem to believe that this one would last.

"Didn't you also think that about your other boyfriends?" He asked and she replied with a resounding 'No' which surprised him. "What about Jaz? You two dated long enough to form some sort of connection. Surely you thought about it?"

Lily couldn't stop her laughter at the idea of her and Jaz being in a lasting relationship. She had to let go of her brother and wrap her arms around her waist. Her ribs started to hurt because she was laughing so much. "Definitely not Jaz." She finally got out as Albus started at her as if worried for her sanity.

"Hey, did someone say my name?"

Lily's head snapped up at the words having not heard the arrival of the two gorgeous men at the bottom of the stairs. The shorter of the two Lily had never met before, although he did remind her of the muggle footballer Kaka from several decades ago. The other man was a blonde-haired blue-eyed version of Orlando Bloom whom she knew very well.

The blonde bounded up the stair scooping Lily in his arms when he reached her. "Jaz, what are you doing here?" Lily laughed, wrapping her arms around his neck for her own assurance that he wouldn't drop her. She couldn't help but be happy to see him.

"Just got back from Spain and found your invite." He explained and flashed a brilliant smile that would take anyone's breath away. He did look incredibly gorgeous with a tan.

Lily let out a small gasp when he set her back on her feet. She was acutely aware of her brother watching their reunion intently. "I didn't expect you to come after everything."

"Wouldn't miss it! Besides the entire year is here! Where else would I go?" He laughed and Lily knew he had a point. She didn't know how she managed to fit everyone into her flat.

"It's good to see you. You look so- There's something… different about you. You look great." Lily fumbled over her words. She couldn't quite put her finger on what was different about the blonde.

He shrugged knowing exactly what she meant. "Being true to yourself does that." He informed her with a wink and then pulled her against his chest and wrapped his arms around her.

"What's going on?"

Lily stiffened at the question and couldn't believe the bad timing. Sensing her unease, Jaz released her and they both turned to the annoyed looking blonde who now stood at the bottom of the stairs next to the Kaka look-alike.

"Scorpius!" Lily gasped and felt her brother tense behind her. She chewed on her bottom lip, his blank expression making her nervous. She held her arm out to him, beckoning him closer.

Assuming correctly that Scorpius Malfoy was Lily's present boyfriend, Jaz waved cheerfully at the man. "Hey, I'm Tobias Jasper."

"I know who you are." Scorpius retorted coldly as he slipped a possessive arm around Lily. She didn't know whether to be cross or pleased at his obvious actions of staking his claim on her. Lily smiled up at Scorpius in attempt to reassure him but it didn't make him any less tense.

Picking up on the tension in the stairway, the unknown male came to stand next to Jaz ready to come to his aid if needed. Jaz was not phased by Scorpius' behaviour. In fact, he ignored the former Slytherin completely and looked directly at Lily. "He's the one Lily? Seriously?" He asked sceptically.

Lily glanced warily in Scorpius' direction. His jealousy was obvious and she really wished he would trust her. He should know that she wasn't interested in anyone but him. It was her opinion on that which probably influenced her next words. She turned to Jaz and smirked mischievously. "He's not usually so severe. It would probably be best to reassure him that you don't intend to jump my bones."

Jaz's jovial hoot echoed around them. Albus and the unknown male also laughed but unfortunately she hadn't managed to crack a smile from Scorpius. She sighed and rested the side of her forehead against her man's chest. Her actions did manage to ease his tensions and he began holding her tighter.

"Well since we're on the subject, I'd like you to meet Fernando." He grinned and motioned to the gorgeous man by his side.

Neither Scorpius nor Albus picked up on the implication but Lily certainly did. However, they didn't know Jaz was gay so she hadn't expected them to.

Moving slightly away from Scorpius, Lily turned to the man Fernando, looking at him through new eyes. No wonder Jaz made the comment about being true to himself. He really was making changes and Lily admired his strength for that. She smiled welcomingly at the dark-haired hunk. "It's nice to meet you."

"It is a pleasure." He replied just as friendlily. He kissed her hand and Lily saw Scorpius stiffen and Albus' admiration for the man who risked the wrath of the Slytherin. Fernando didn't appear to notice. "My Toby has told me so much about you." He continued and the hallway went suddenly quiet.

Both Albus and Scorpius stared at the Spaniard after his confession and then glanced towards Jaz in disbelief. It was the most emotion Scorpius had allowed himself to show since his return. It was an expression of pure shock he wore on his handsome face. "Your Toby?" He gritted out breaking the silence.

"Oops! Was I not supposed-?" Fernando began, turning to Jaz, his brown eyes wide with worry.

"Its ok love, we might as well start telling people now." Jaz assured him, placing his hand affectionately on his man's shoulder. If it hadn't been clear before, the look in both their eyes definitely made it clear to the others that the two men were romantically involved. Lily thought them the most handsome couple she'd ever met.

"You're dating him?" Albus asked wondering how he'd missed seeing the other man way gay. His eyes asked several silent questions. Did his sister know? Had she known when she had dated him? Why had she dated him?

Lily ignored her brother's wordless questions and watched Scorpius' reaction. "You knew!" He said quietly and Lily nodded knowing that Scorpius was actually asking her if she knew that Jaz was gay since she hadn't seemed surprised by the revelation. Hurt flashed in his eyes and Lily went back to stand next to him, putting a little distance between them and the others. He spoke quietly enough for only her to hear, well aware that they were being watched. "Do you have any idea what thinking about you two together has done to me?"

"It wasn't my secret to tell and I told you Jaz and I were never like that. That should have been enough." Lily replied just as quietly. She was sorry that she couldn't tell him; she didn't like keeping thing from him.

He brushed her hair behind her ears and caught her face in his hands. His thumb brushed away a stray tear on her cheek. Lily's gaze rose to meet his and she was surprised to see him smiling. "I thought you were just telling me what you thought I needed to hear." He explained before kissing her gently in front of the others.

Wrapping her arms around his waist, she kissed him back. In the background she heard the three men talking. Jaz was asking Albus if there was any chance of him getting a drink. Albus replied by inviting them in to her flat since Lily was otherwise occupied.

Now that they stood alone Lily pressed herself against him wanting to deepened their kiss. She heard him release a soft groan as her tongue teased his bottom lip wanting access. He teased her back in return, refusing what she wanted until she quietly growled with frustration.

He let out a short chuckle before granting what she craved. She loved the way he tasted: a mixture of Butterbeer and spearmint. His hands slipped to the back of her neck, keeping her close and also for him to be able to deepen his kiss. She heard herself moan deep in her throat and tightened her grip on him.

She didn't want their kiss to end and she protested when he broke their kiss. She tried to get his lips back on hers but he resisted. He held her close and yet at a distance. She pouted, unable to react any other way and gazed up at him through doleful eyes. He gazed at her endearingly, trying not to give in to her so quickly. Lily wasn't mad. There was passion blazing in his eyes so she knew he wanted to kiss her. She began to sulk because he was intentionally stopping himself from doing something he obviously enjoyed.

"Damn me if I don't love you." He gasped gazing at her and Lily beamed lovingly up at him.

"I love you too." She gasped breathlessly and resumed pouting when he didn't kiss her soon enough. He laughed happily and finally gave in. His lips moved back to hers and he sucked gently on the bottom lip of her pout, instantly removing it.

They would join the party again soon, but not just yet.

She wasn't done kissing him!

**Thank you for reading**

**Edited 16/02/2011 with the help of Klauds aka Emily Swain.**


	42. C42: Meeting the Clan

_Thank you for reading and reviewing _

**Chapter 42: Meeting the Clan**

With hindsight Lily felt that having a flat party the night before her family gathering was not one of her better ideas. The last of her guests had left at two in the morning, so she had very little sleep before she had to wake up and get ready for the day. Nevertheless she'd thoroughly enjoyed herself after the few hitches early on in the night. The party had been a success overall and the tension in the room had lessened once her guests got over the initial shock that Scorpius and her were now a couple. And thanks to Jess' ingenious idea with the tongue-tying jelly shots, Lily now had until Sunday evening to make sure that everyone who needed to know knew about her relationship before they could find out from another unfamiliar source.

As a result of the previous night, Lily had raided her potion cabinet which her cousins Victoire and Dominique always made sure were well stocked. Victoire's concoction had Lily feeling awake and energized while Dominique's ensured that the dark circles under Lily's eyes faded away. Lily also used a healing potion to deal with her bruised shoulder after altercation with Albus. After a long warm shower to smooth through any lingering aches, she picked out her wardrobe for the day. She tried on eight different outfits before settling on a flowy white sundress, delicate sandals and a headband to keep her hip-length hair out of her face. She liked the end result; it gave her the confidence that she'd be able to get through the day. As soon as she was ready she Flooed over to the Burrow later than she had originally planned.

Landing in her grandparent's kitchen, a quick scan of the room showed Lily that there were only three other occupants in the room and they were all busy preparing food. Her grandmother and Andromeda were slicing up strawberries which were to accompany the ice cream that Lily had brought; her grandfather was busy taking beef burgers out of their packaging and placing them out to be cooked. Lily waved her wand to cause the soot to vanish from her clothes and skin while her grandma turned around and her face wrinkled into a warm smile

"Good Morning Grandma, Grandpa, Dromeda." Lily sang cheerfully and gave each of them a friendly hug and a peck on the cheek. "How's it all going? Is there anything I can do to help?"

"We have everything under control." Molly explained to her granddaughter as she paused on what she was doing. "The others are already outside setting up and the men are taking charge of the barbeque for a change."

"I'm the last to arrive?" Lily asked and managed to stop the frown from crinkling across her forehead. If all her cousins and siblings were there, Lily guessed the bulk of them would be standing somewhere between her and Uncle Ron. Judging from past experience, he was probably going to take the news harder than the rest of her uncles, despite the fact that he works with Scorpius at the Ministry. In his eyes, Scorpius was a Malfoy and Ron didn't trust Malfoys, although there were some of her aunts and uncles that wouldn't be thrilled with the development either.

"Yes, yes. You and this new man of yours are the last to arrive. Just put the ice cream over there, dear. We'll place it out later; I'm trying to keep everything else organized." Molly explained; she began to list off all the tasks they'd already gone through. Lily immediately began to feel guilty for not arriving early enough to help out the women in her family. However there looked to be a few bowls of pasta and potato salads which needed to be taken care of and Lily began to busy herself with what was left.

"Thee table ees almost all set." Fleur announced in her heavy French accent as she entered the room along with both Lily's parents. She was looking as magnificent as always and smiled graciously when she stopped Lily. "Ah Lily! Vere ees this new man of yours? He ees not with you, non?"

Lily placed the tubs of ice cream on the counter top and replied to her Aunt's question. "Hi Aunt Fleur. He's Apperating soon; he just had a few things to sort with his family; then he's coming straight here." Lily said and Fleur seemed satisfied with the explanation. Lily went to greet her parents and the discussion moved to Lily's NEWT results. Everyone in the room expressed how proud they were and Lily discovered that the news of her career plans had already spread through the family and they were all excided for her and Lucy.

"So vat ees 'e like thees mystery man? We ees all wanting to know." Fleur inquired after Lily had failed to mention anything about him.

Lily was instantly aware that she held the attention of everyone in the kitchen. "He's great and everything I could ever dream of." Lily told them while a blush crept onto her face. "At least I think he is; I'm sure you will all agree once you get to know him."

There were a few raised eyebrows at Lily's explanation or lack thereof; however, she didn't know how else to explain it. She wanted him to be at her side; he gave her courage that she never had back in school. Lily wanted to do this, for this is how it should have always been. No secrets.

"So how do you know him? Did you go to school together?" Andromeda asked from the counter, still slicing the strawberries.

Lily briefly caught her mother's encouraging gaze before answering. "We did. He was a couple of years above me though. He was in Rose and Al's year."

"Was he in Gryffindor with them?" Molly asked with a sly twinkle in her eye. "That Joseph Hooper has grown into quite the young man. It wouldn't be him that you are seeing, would it?"

Lily felt her blush deepen. "Hooper? Definitely not. Anyway mine wasn't in Gryffindor Grandma; he was in Slytherin." She corrected and held her breath for their reactions.

Andromeda seemed to approve but both her grandparents looked startled. "Slytherin?" Arthur gasped as if hardly believing what his granddaughter was telling him. He knew from stories told him by his other grandchildren, that there were five Slytherin males in that year. Terence Goyle, Scorpius Malfoy, Braxton Nott Thomas Warrington and Duanne Zabini.

Before another word could be spoken on the matter, they were interrupted by Audrey bristling in to the room. "Sorry; I can't seem to pull Percy away from the baby. He's worse than when the girls were born. There is no moving him now." She huffed, clearly annoyed with her husband.

"Molly's had her baby then?" Lily asked her Aunt Audrey, welcoming the temporary distraction.

Audrey was a little surprised by Lily's presence but she smiled and brushed some loose blonde tendrils of hair behind her ears. "Hi Lily! Yes she has, I'm a grandma! Can you believe it? They named him Perci spelt with 'i' instead of a 'y'. It's a combination of the names Percy and Cid." She explained and Lily knew that Christopher's father was named Cid. "As you can imagine, you're Uncle is feeling exceedingly honoured and self-satisfied that they named the baby after him."

Lily nodded knowingly; it meant her uncle was particularly pompous at the present time, clearly getting on his wife's nerve. "I have to meet my new baby cousin. How is Molly fairing?"

"A little overwhelmed and tired. Victoire's brewing her a potion right now. I asked her if she wanted to get some sleep as we'd all keep an eye on Perci, but she's adamant about joining us today." Audrey explained as her keen gaze scanned the room taking in every bit of detail. "I get the feeling that I have interrupted something." She confessed and Lily smiled meekly knowing that her conversation was getting back on track.

"Lily vas just telling us t'at eer new man ees a Slytherin." Fleur explained with a flamboyant flick of her silvery mane.

Audrey's finely chiselled face shone with delight over the news. "Excellent, it is about time we have another Slytherin to join us, wouldn't you agree, Dromeda?" She asked with a smirk that seemed to be a natural feature on any former Slytherin, which Audrey was and proudly. Andromeda smiled broadly in agreement which reminded Lily that despite the numerous Gryffindors among her family, there were two proud Slytherin's as well. She began to wish she had let the Sorting Hat place her there; she could have stood out along with her Aunt Audrey and Aunt Andromeda. She shook her head at the irony and looked at the inquisitive faces around her as Andromeda added with certainty.

"I couldn't agree more as long as he is of good character. And our Lily has brains enough not to introduce anyone lacking in that area to this family." Lily was pleased with the comments from Teddy's grandmother. She hoped the rest would keep her words in mind when she finally introduced them to Scorpius.

"It wouldn't happen to be the Zabini boy would it?" Arthur asked and it was clear that he'd been stewing over the names of the Slytherins in Albus' year since Lily had released that bit of information.

"No Grandpa. Duanne is just a good friend and besides, it would just be weird since Al is all but engaged to Maggie." Lily explained with a shrug and spotted her mother move around the table so that she stood between Molly and Arthur. Ginny placed a comforting hand on each of her parents shoulder.

"He'll have to be made of stern stuff if he is to survive in this family. Remember the grilling Harrison was given before they decided he was good enough to date Rose." Audrey said with some amusement. Lily recalled that day and it hadn't gone all that well. In fact it was Rose losing her temper that had finally shut their uncles up and made them leave Harrison alone. Lily didn't want to have to argue with her uncles today.

"My brothers will be worse with yours, Sweetie. I know it's never really been said but they've always been more protective of you than the other girls. Now they've promised to be on their best behaviours but you never know with them. I hope he's prepared for all that." Ginny mentioned and Lily hoped the same. She was almost certain that Scorpius would be able to survive them though. After all he'd grown up surrounded by Slytherins. Five overprotective uncles should be a breeze.

"Why is it that they only interrogate the men that join the family?" Lily grumbled. "Not that I'd want them to try and interrogate Jess, Delia or Maggie. Actually it would be quite amusing to see them try and get under Maggie's skin. They'd fail miserably." she said and her eyes sparkled wickedly.

"Believe me Honey if you brought home a girlfriend, she'd be put through the grilling as well." Harry teased and smirked at his daughter.

"Very funny Dad." Lily sighed cynically.

Harry shrugged. "Just trying to lighten the mood. You never know, maybe he'll get lucky. The shock might stun them enough to shut them up."

Molly eyed her daughter and son-in-law suspiciously. "So, I'm guessing you know who her mystery man is."

"We do." Ginny confessed. "We all know him actually but I doubt you would have put them together."

"Thees ees too cruel! Who ees thees man?" Fleur demanded.

Audrey piped in before Lily could reply. "You make it sound as if we won't approve of the match and as Dromeda said, Lily is smarter than that."

Lily rolled her eyes at her parents' behaviour and smiled gratefully at her Aunt Audrey before she began her explanation. "They're just teasing you because his family and our family haven't exactly got along in the past. His dad made some mistakes when he was at school during the second war. But he's certainly tried to make up for past mistakes**.** Now his grandfather is still a bit of a loon, as I'm sure you will all agree, but Scorpius isn't anything like him." Lily breathed in relief as she said his name aloud. It had felt good to have said it and she immediately felt lightened, despite the reactions she was bound to receive.

There was a moment of silence as the majority sat or stood in shock. "Scorpius?" Audrey finally asked in surprise and her words acted as a catalyst. They all started talking over each other then and Lily had to struggle to hear what was being said.

"As in Scorpius Malfoy?" Arthur gasped, the surname alone giving him a shock rather of who it really was. He himself had a rather turbulent history with the senior Malfoy male.

Lily's grandmother looked very pale and Ginny had to help her mother into a seat. "Good heavens! A Malfoy in the family!" Molly wheezed.

Andromeda Tonks elegantly made her way over to Lily. "I approve, Lily. I think you'll be well suited no matter what the others may say. Scorpius is a nice young man and definitely strong of character. He may bear the name Malfoy but luckily those genes have been diluted by stronger ones."

"Thanks Dromeda." Lily acknowledged knowing exactly what she meant. Scorpius was also part Black, Greengrass and Slewyn. All of which were strong bloodlines irrespective of them being classed as purebloods. Plus there was no weakness or madness in Scorpius which some purebloods suffered from. As a man, he knew exactly what he wanted and who he wanted to be.

Lily heard a knock on the door over the commotion in the kitchen. Unfortunately she wasn't the only one who heard it. "I'll answer the door" her Aunt Hermione called out from the hall.

Lily paled knowing who would be at the door and that Hermione didn't yet know about her and Scorpius. "Wait Aunt Hermione, let me-" Lily called back but it was too late. Hermione was already opening the door.

"Scorpius what are you doing here?" Hermione questioned. "Please tell me nothing has happened at work because I'm in the middle of a family do and really would not like to have to go into the office on a Saturday."

Lily hurried to the front door and saw Scorpius standing there. His eyes lit up when he spotted Lily standing just behind her aunt. "Actually Boss I've come to see Lily." Scorpius explained and nodded in Lily's direction.

"Lily?" Hermione questioned and moved out of the way as Lily walked to his side. As she watched the young couple, she immediately put the two together and came to the correct conclusion.

"You're early. I haven't gotten around to telling everyone yet." Lily told him while she was unaware that her family members who were in the kitchen, had come to have a better look. She wrapped her arm around his waist and felt him wince. His actions confused Lily so she took a step backwards. The only times he'd ever flinched away from her touch before was when he'd been hiding something. Back then he'd been hiding his feelings from her but Lily knew that something else was up. She gave him the once over and her eyes widened at the sight of a burn mark on his forearm. "What happened to your arm?" She asked knowing that it hadn't been there the night before.

He looked back surprised and rolled his sleeve down a turn. It was obvious that he hadn't wanted her to see it. He tried to shrug it off but Lily wasn't having any of it. She reached his arm and rolled his sleeve back up so she could examine the burn. There was a horrible purplish tint to it and it looked painful. Lily was careful not to aggravate it.

"Lucius." Scorpius explained knowing that there was no other way about it. "My grandfather didn't take the news too well but Mum and Dad are handling him. Grandmother has gone into shock but she'll be ok. Or so they say," he finished as he caressed Lily's cheek, trying to soothe her concern.

Lily reflexively tilted he face into his palm. "Does it hurt badly?" She asked, not liking the feeling that him being hurt stirred inside her.

He smiled gently and kissed her forehead. "Nothing I can't handle. I dodged the worst of the curse."

The color drained from her face. "He tried to- I don't want you getting hurt on my account."

"Shhh, It's just a graze it's not causing me any problems I'll see to it later." He assured her.

Lily pursed her lips. She wanted someone who knew what they were doing to assess his burn. "I'll ask Victoire to look at it. This is her area of expertise, after all." Lily frowned slightly as she realized he hadn't seen to his arm before arriving to the Burrow. "Did you just Apperate here after he attacked you before seeing to your wound?" She asked in an annoyed tone.

"Of course not." He laughed not taking offence to her words. "I waited until he calmed down a little. I didn't think it would be wise for him to try and follow me here but enough about that. Shall we?" He asked and looked towards the group of family members that stood behind her. They'd been watching Lily intently as she fussed over the Malfoy heir. It was clear to all of them the genuine concern they shared for each other. It was this that had them all ready to give Scorpius a chance.

Lily giggled nervously when she spotted them and dragged Scorpius into the house. "Hello Mrs Weasley. I wasn't sure what to bring so these flowers are for you. I grew them myself." Scorpius said and a bunch of country flowers materialised in his hands.

"Oh, Erm. Thank you Scorpius," Molly replied getting flustered. "They're beautiful. Hermione could you please put these in some water?" She continued and passed the bouquet to her daughter-in-law. Lily's grandparents and parents were eager to greet Scorpius. If they had any reservations about the relationship, they kept it to themselves. Scorpius also handled the situation well and didn't let it overwhelm him.

Hermione looked a little worried but it wasn't because she had anything against Scorpius. She was actually rather fond of him since working with him. She found him intelligent, respectful and hard-working: All were qualities she admired. Her concerns were about the scene her husband was no doubt going to make over the news. Lily's Aunts Fleur and Audrey held no previous prejudices towards him and were happy to welcome him into the fold. Andromeda was also happy to see her great-nephew again.

"Put this on your arm Scorpius. It should help." Andromeda demanded sternly and held out a jar of soothing balm.

Knowing that she couldn't be refused Scorpius sighed. "Yes Aunt Dromeda," He drolled and reached for the jar but Lily was quicker. She took the jar and began applying the salve to his burn. She found she liked taking care of him and he didn't object to the attention.

"Lucius never changes." Andromeda stated with a hint of amusement as she watched Lily and her great-nephew. "He always did throw a tantrum when things didn't go his way. I never saw what my sister saw in him. Nevertheless it's good to see you again my boy." Scorpius gave her a peck on each cheek once his arm was heeled, as was the custom among the Black women.

As Scorpius talked to Lily's relatives. Fleur made her way over to her niece. "'e ees 'andsome non? You 'ave done vell vith thees one." She told Lily quietly in an admiring tone so that no one overheard. Lily thanked her aunt and agreed with her before Fleur left the room to find her daughters.

As one person departed another arrived. Roxie entered the room to grab a bowl of potato salad. Her face lit up mischievously when she saw that Scorpius had arrived. "Nice to see you again Scorpius" she smirked and hurried out to tell the others about his arrival. Lily couldn't resist the urge to roll her eyes at that.

"Let's go and see Molly and the baby and then we'll help take some of those things outside." Lily said and dragged her man away from her parents. "You don't mind do you?" she asked as an after thought.

"Not at all. Lead the way." Scorpius shrugged and followed Lily towards the lounge. "It'll give Roxie the time she needs to go and tell the rest of the hoard that we've arrived."

Molly sat on the settee looking absolutely exhausted. She leant into her husbands embrace as he sat stroking his hand through her ginger curls. Neither paid any attention to the fact that Lily and Scorpius had entered the room. Their attention was taken up by the occupants in the corner armchair where Percy sat cradling his first grandchild. Lily could see her uncle practically glowing with joy as he held the little boy.

Lily crept forward to get a good look at her newest cousin. Her heart warmed at the sight of the newborn. He was truly adorable with his chubby cheeks and blonde curls. It also helped that he was asleep. "You're going to have your work cut out with this one. This little cherub is going to have everyone wrapped around his little finger." Lily quietly told Christopher and Molly as she crept over to them.

Percy's head darted up with surprise since he hadn't even noticed Lily come in. His blue eyes widened when he caught sight of the man standing next to her.

"Who- why are you here?" Percy stammered as Victoire entered the room with a rejuvenating potion for Molly and Christopher to make up for their lack of sleep.

"He's my plus one." Lily explained and took Scorpius' hand in hers.

Percy nodded with acceptance. He knew who Scorpius was. He was the image of his father but he'd also seen him at the Ministry. Of all of Lily's uncles, Percy understood that people made mistakes and deserved a second chance. He would be on their side if any of her other uncles kicked up a fuss. "I'd shake your hand but I have my hands full. Why don't you take him outside? I'm sure George will have some burgers ready by now. He and your brothers were lighting the barbeque earlier."

"I hope your brothers are better cooks than you." Scorpius teased and Lily prodded him playfully in the ribs.

"Can I have my son back now?" Molly said somewhat huffily. Percy grimaced finally realizing that he'd been monopolizing his grandson and handed the baby over to its mother. Lily and Scorpius went back into the kitchen to grab some food to take outside.

Lily heard the rest of her family before she saw them. Their shouts and cheers were accompanied by the sounds of wood hitting wood. As they turned the corner so that they were finally in sight, she felt Scorpius stop walking. "What's going on there?" He asked as he gazed in the direction of two of Lily's uncles who were surrounded by the bulk of her cousins and siblings.

"Oh that's just a tradition my Uncles Bill and Charlie have been doing since they were teenagers. They have this running contest to see who can knock the others table out of the air first. The score is pretty even although I can't remember the actual score." Lily explained and carried on walking. Scorpius still watched the crowd with interest. "Don't you do anything like that when your family gets together?" She asked placing the bowl of couscous onto the table where the rest of the food was set out on.

Scorpius sniggered as he found space for the bowl of pasta salad. "Are you kidding me? My uncle is nowhere near that cool and I only see him and my Aunt Queenie about once a year. They live in Marrakesh and have no kids so they never really tried to meet up for that. And as you know my Aunt Daphne hasn't married yet so when we all get together we don't see the need for games." He told her with a hint of sadness in is voice.

Lily instantly wanted to comfort him. She wrapped her arms around his waist knowing that the attention of her family was held elsewhere. "That's awful. I can't imagine what it would be like living without a family like mine. We're always getting together either on mass or a few at a time. Growing up I spent a lot of time here at the Burrow with my cousins and brothers. It must have been so lonely being the only child in the family." She sighed and rested her head against his chest.

He wrapped his arms around her shoulders and was happy to hold her. "It was but it got better once Duanne and his brother and sisters started coming over for the holidays. We'd always manage to find something to do together whether it was playing Quidditch, exploring the gardens or relaxing in the music room."

"Music room?" Lily blurted out unable to contain her surprise.

Scorpius laughed. "My house is ridiculously huge considering only five of us actually live there. There are more than one hundred rooms and that includes a library, music room and ballroom. Occasionally my parents hold small parties there but one day I'd like to see the place full of people like a house like that was build for." He explained with a shrug.

Lily gaped at him unable to imagine the house he grew up in. his life was so different to the one she was used to. Lily's home always felt cramped as people were always around stepping on each others toes. Or that was how the saying went. There was never enough space for such a large group but then again Lily liked it that way. Childish giggles coming from under the table they were standing next to suddenly caught both of their attention.

Lily and Scorpius stepped apart, Lily then crouched and lifted the table cloth to reveal her goddaughter. Aimee continued to chuckle as she stared up at them. "What you doing under there?" Lily asked and ruffled Aimee's pastel pink curls.

Aimee swung on the table leg and looked towards the table fight and then back at Lily. "Papa say hide. So I hide." She mumbled and then giggled once more. Lily guessed that Bill had suggested that Aimee took cover so that she wasn't in any danger of getting in the way of their contest. Whatever the reason, it wasn't very responsible of him.

"Ah ok. Well there is someone I'd like you to meet." Lily said and held her hand for Aimee to grasp.

"Aunt Lily. Up." Aimee demanded and held her arms up to back up her request.

It was Lily's turn to laugh as she swung Aimee into her arms and blew raspberries on her stomach until she gurgled with laughter. Allowing her goddaughter to settle down, Lily shifted her weight so she sat comfortably against her hip while Scorpius watched with amusement.

"Who da?" Aimee asked upon noticing the man at Lily's side. As far as she can remember, she could tell she's never met him before.

"This is my friend Scorpius." Lily explained and swivelled so that Aimee could get a good look at him. She was clearly interested in the stranger.

"Or-pee-us" Aimee repeated trying to sound out his name. They were both impressed by her attempt.

"Hello there Aimee. It's been a long time since we met. You probably don't remember. I'm your Daddy's cousin." Scorpius told the toddler. Aimee listened intrigued by his words. She hadn't known that her daddy had another cousin. She thought the Weasley and Potter clan were his only relations. Sensing that the girl was too stunned to speak, Scorpius reached out to tickle her chin.

"You have pretty hair." Aimee blurted out, mesmerized by his white blonde locks.

Scorpius chuckled. "Not as pretty as yours or your Aunty Lily's." He told her and tugged gently on one of her pink curls.

"I change mine!" Aimee boasted and screwed up her face as her pink curls transformed into straight white-blonde strands.

"Wow that's amazing." Scorpius exclaimed knowing the reaction Aimee sought. "Do you want to see some magic?" He asked the inquisitive child.

Aimee's face lit up with glee and she wiggled in Lily's arms. "Please!" She squealed.

Scorpius muttered a spell and balls of multicoloured lights hovered above the ground swirling and curling. Lily lowered Aimee to the ground and the toddler ran to the light and tried to grab the orbs. She laughed to herself all the while. Lily smiled at the scene and then turned to Scorpius, wrapping her arm around his waist once more. "To say you never grew up around young children you are certainly very good with them." She said and stood on the tips of her toes so she could kiss him on the lips.

He returned her brief kiss and were both aware of Aimee's 'Kissey kissey!' remarks. Suddenly the air about them changed. There wad a loud clashing noise and they could no longer hear the cries surrounding the contest. Instead they heard someone express their pain. Jolting back to the present both looked towards the crowd. Lily's Uncle Charlie was rubbing a sore spot on his head while her Uncle Bill stared at them in shock. Lily's hoard of cousins and siblings present watched the scene unfold with amused expressions.

Bill's surprised statement carried over to Lily and Scorpius. "Did I just see what I thought I saw?"

"How should I know Bill?" Charlie retorted grumpily. "You dropped a bloody table on my head." There was a round of laughter that followed.

"It's a good job your head is a rock Uncle Charlie." Fred smirked as Lily and Scorpius looked to each other. They made their way over to the group but not before Aimee demanded that Scorpius should carry her. Scorpius passed Aimee to her father when they reached the group.

"Uncle Bill, Charlie. You know Scorpius." Lily beamed trying to act all care free.

Her two uncles studied her before their gaze flickered to Scorpius and then to the many relatives standing by before returning to Lily. "How long has this been going on?" Bill demanded.

Hugo answered before Lily had the chance to. "A week, or so they say. Apparently they were sneaking around when they were at school though." He informed them and Lily pulled her face at him for letting slip that bit of information.

Her uncles quickly did the math and realized they must have dated during Lily's fifth year. Charlie scowled at Hugo. "I thought we asked you to keep an eye on her." He grunted and Hugo grimaced. Lily smiled smugly over to her cousin and saw Delia share her amusement over the way Hugo had walked into that trap.

Hugo didn't appreciate the scolding looks from his uncles. "She kept it all under the radar and since she had detention with him throughout the year, it wasn't as if I could keep them apart. Anyway, far be it for me to tell Lily what she can and cannot do. She's better at duelling than me and I'm not ashamed to admit it. That's partially your fault for teaching her all those spells at such a young age. She was streaks ahead of the rest of us."

It was Bill's turn to grimace since it was true that he, George and Teddy had taught Lily a variety of spells before she even attended Hogwarts. "That plan did backfire didn't it?" He murmured and smiled ruefully. His gaze turned pointed when he looked back at Lily. "You were supposed to protect yourself from the snakes, not charm them," he smirked at his niece before turning to Scorpius. "No offence."

"None taken." Scorpius replied though he wasn't sure what to make of the men in front of him. They seemed to be teasing but he wasn't one hundred percent sure.

Lily sighed and hovered closer to Scorpius. "Can we not do this now, today's supposed to be all about fun." She asked and then her tone turned serious. "And if this turns out to be a repeat of Rose and Harrison, today will definitely not be fun."

"I think it would be fun." Harrison interrupted from his position in the crowd between James and Fred. "Can't have him getting off easy after what I was put through." He stated and there were a few nods of agreement, especially coming from Armand and Isaiah. Lily knew Henry would probably agree with them if he was with them and not playing with his son on the lawn.

"That's very considerate of you Harrison." Lily bit back sarcastically and he winked at her. Rose was frowning as she recalled that day and told everyone that she was on Lily's side for this subject. Her stand didn't make her popular with the bulk of their family. They were rather looking forward to see how Scorpius would handle the five men.

"I guess we'll leave it for now" Charlie agreed. "But don't think we're letting him off that easily. We'll be talking to him later." He informed them; Scorpius told Lily that it was ok since it was clear her uncles her only looking out for her, which Bill and Charlie nodded appreciatively at the Malfoy boy before them.

"Once you gather your reinforcements?" Lily asked bitterly knowing that she wouldn't win the argument.

Bill laughed. "Actually I was thinking that Ron's going to need some time to recover. Maybe you should go and break the news to him now."

"Fine." Lily sighed and there was a ripple of jeers and cheers from her cousins and James. Lily tried to ignore them. "He's at the barbeque with Uncle George isn't he?" Lily concluded since her brothers were no longer helping with the food. The others confirmed her suspicions and she turned to Scorpius. "It's just around the side of the house. Aunt Angie will probably be with them."

Scorpius nodded. "Then are we done? You don't have any other relatives tucked away somewhere? An elderly Aunt, distant cousin or family ghoul perhaps?"

Lily chuckled. It really was a chore introducing him to everyone. "Actually we have all of the above but you won't be meeting them today. Especially the family ghoul that haunts the attic. In fact you needn't be introduced to him at all. He's not exactly pleasant company."

Silver-grey eyes widened with astonishment and Lily took his hand and led the way. "I was actually joking about the ghoul. It's kind of cool that you actually have one."

"Don't you have any ghouls or the like haunting your home? It's much older than the Burrow surely?" James asked.

Scorpius glanced in his direction. "Oh are you tagging along as well?"

"Wouldn't miss this for the world." James chortled.

Lily caught herself rolling her eyes along with Scorpius. But she had to admit, she was intrigued by Scorpius' home. " Humph." Scorpius grunted. "No ghosts, ghouls or poltergeists as far as I know. But there is the odd aggravating portrait there that can test even the calmest of men. There's only the five of us and the family and House Elves that live in the place."

"We've heard about one of your former House elves." Louis interjected. "He's buried at my parents' house."

Looking around Lily noticed that many of her cousins and their partners were gathered around her and Scorpius. All with eager expressions on their faces. "Dobby." Scorpius said flatly sensing where the conversation was going. "I've heard about him too but rest assured the House Elves that live with us now are treated better and more like family," he assured them and stopped suddenly to confront their followers. "Now are you really going to follow us as well?" He asked in disbelief.

Fred shrugged. "Like James said: wouldn't miss Uncle Ron's reaction for the world. Are you coming Al?" He called over to where Albus sat with Margarita and Jess.

There was a tense moment where Albus caught Scorpius' eye and Lily became aware that they hadn't talked thing through yet. Albus broke eye contact and looked back at Fred. "I'm going to sit this one out." he gritted out.

"Whatever you wish." Fred said in his carefree tone. "We'll have plenty of photos to show you if you change your mind." he shot back and waved his camera in the air.

Lily didn't want this to drag on any longer so she looped her arm with Scorpius' and urged him to walk again. "Hey uncles I'd like you to meet my Scorpius." She shouted cheerfully to disguise her nerves.

George and Angelina turned from what they were doing with smiles on their faces but Ron turned around and froze. His blue eyes darted to the familiarity of their embrace and then went blank. "M-Malfoy?" He began muttering but then nothing that came out of his mouth after that made any sense. Freddie began taking photographs as the others began crowding around Ron. Lily and Scorpius had to move out of their way so that they could talk to George and Angelina. George's smile seemed a little forced but on the whole he dealt with the news well.

They kept shooting Ron concerned glances since he was still jabbering away and his face turned from pink to purple, back to pink and then drained to an unhealthy whitish colour.

"Uncle Ron, are you ok?" Lucy asked when it became apparent that he was showing any notions of recovery.

"Look he's turning green now." James laughed as Fred went crazy with his camera.

"I'm sure that can't be healthy." Rose sighed sympathetically and reached for her father's hand and tried to bring him back from his state of shock.

Scorpius raised his eyebrow questioningly at Lily and she shrugged. She honestly didn't know what to say about the subject for she had never seen her uncle react like that.

Reading the scene before them, Angelina tapped Scorpius on the shoulder to get his attention. "I wouldn't read too much into that" Angelina told Scorpius calmly as she hid her concern. "I'll just go and get Hermione and see if she'll be able to get him to snap out of it." She announced decisively and headed back into the house.

"Would you like a burger?" George asked Scorpius stiffly and plated one up for him when he nodded. George handed Lily a vegetarian burger before turning to the others to see if they wanted anything. They were happy for the food as they continued to watch Ron.

Lily caught Scorpius staring at her. "Let's just leave Ron to it. The others are here to keep an eye on him." Lily said awkwardly and guided him back to the main lawn area. They seated themselves near Albus, Maggie and Jess. Albus was a little tense with the arrangements and ignored Scorpius. Luckily Maggie and Jess were comfortable with Scorpius there.

"You're going to have to talk to him at some point Al, he's your friend." Lily pointed out to Albus when Scorpius went to get more food. Albus grunted and went to sit elsewhere leaving Lily to huff with exasperation. Maggie apologized and went to drum some sense into her man.

Lily muttered to Jess, "I can't believe this entire time I was more worried about James' acceptance than Albus'. I can't believe how wrong I was. How long do you think Al is going to act this way? Scorpius and I barely reunited a week ago." Lily sighed in frustration; she was impatient for everything to work itself out. She needed Albus on her side, especially once Skeeter and her minions catch on to the latest development in her obsession with Lily's love life. Jess stroked Lily's back gently as she replied in a serious tone.

"Lily, you have to understand how the news has affected some of us. The only reason why Delia and I have managed to get over the shock was partly due to how hard it must have been for you to have fallen in love with Scorpius. But you have to see it from our side, as well as Al's. All of us spent our school years fighting with him and his friends; you seemed to have hated him very much." Seeing Lily about to interrupt she held up her hand in earnest. "Let me finish. I understand you got to know him better during and after your detentions. But you should have trusted me and Delia just as you trusted Maggie and Margarita. And don't you think Al should have had a bit more of a warning, since those two were friends before we arrived?"

Jess spoke in a matter of fact tone that Lily couldn't let herself feel frustrated with Albus as much. Though he himself had mentioned the night before how much Scorpius friendship meant to him. Jess had a point, though Lily hated to admit it. Lily had never intended Al to find out the way he had. She had wanted to give him some warning but Jebediah had made that impossible.

James was only accepting since he saw the two of them first hand and how it had broke Lily's heart to let Scorpius walk away. She was sure if Albus had seen the two of them as their brother had, or at least given him an idea of how great Scorpius truly was, maybe this worrying and secretiveness might not have been necessary. Seeing that Scorpius was returning to their table, Jess gave Lily an encouraging smile and quick hug before rejoining Louis.

It wasn't long before the entire clan gathered outside. Some sat eating while others entertained themselves with Muggle games such and tenpin bowling and cricket. Scorpius joined in with the games but it took a while for him to get the hang of it. He'd never played the games before. Hermione finally managed to coax Ron around and though he looked pale, he joined the rest of the family in their shenanigans. Though he was still uncomfortable around Scorpius, he apologized and tried to get used to the fact that he was dating Lily.

Part way through the day, Scorpius got dragged off by Lily's uncles. They didn't allow her to go with them so she pleaded with her father to go in her stead. Harry did and it was just short of an hour before Scorpius came back. Lily was sick with worry all the while and was thankful for her cousins trying to distract her. Scorpius wouldn't tell her what had been said and Lily reluctantly had to accept Scorpius' decision. Her uncles appeared happy though so Lily guessed it had gone well, to the disappointment of Harrison.

"Or-pee-us come play!" Aimee said while tugging at the hem of his shirt. Scorpius put down his half eaten chicken kebab and stared into the girl's pleading face.

He looked to Lily for some help and Lily was glad give it. "How about we let Scorpius finish his food and then we'll go and play. You can sit on my knee while we wait." Aimee sulked at the suggestion but she did as asked. Lily made up a short story for her goddaughter while Scorpius finished his food. Her whole family was then entertained watching Aimee as she demanded Scorpius to give her a pony ride. To Scorpius' credit, he handled the precocious toddler well. Lily and Rose joined in with their games and everyone soon found themselves more accepting of the Malfoy heir.

**Thank you for reading.**

**This chapter could have been completed without the help of Klaudia aka Emily Swain. Thank you so much for your help.**


	43. C43: Protectiveness

_I finally have the next chapter for you after a virus wiped out all my stories/chapters! _

_I want to thank Klaudia for her help on this chapter._

**Chapter 43: Protectiveness**

Lily released a sigh of relief now that the party was over. Several members of her family had already left and the young couple were planning to do the same while standing with one another in the front garden among the marigolds and geraniums.

"We faired rather well, wouldn't you agree?" Lily said as she slipped her arms around her man's waist and rested her head against his chest. In return he encased her in his arms, kissing her lightly on the head.

"Did you expect otherwise?" He asked, his words muffled by her hair. Lily shifted guiltily in his arms and looked up at him.

"Not at all," she replied sheepishly with a blush growing on her cheeks. Scorpius flashed her a devilish smile as he read her thoughts before a rumble of laughter burst from him. Lily laughed with him and when the last of their laughter subsided, she sighed again and snuggled against him.

"You're adorable, you know that!" Scorpius pointed out while brushing aside a rogue strand of her hair and tucked it behind her ear.

Lily smiled at the intimate gesture and a fluttering sensation engulfed her stomach. Unfortunately the sight of her Uncle George and Aunt Angelina leaving had thoughts shifting to a different subject. Lily eyes sparkled with concern as she gazed up at him. Scorpius smiled back softy and tried to smooth out the forming of a frown that threatened her expression. The corners of her mouth curved at his attempt but it didn't stop her from voicing her concern.

"Are you going to tell me what my uncles said to you?" She asked. Her jaw was set as she stubbornly waited for his response.

His smile turned coy and secretive as he pinched her chin affectionately. He was trying to deflect her attention so that he could avoid answering. Lily was a little irritated by his simper so she pouted to get her point across. She wasn't going to let him off lightly. He chuckled at her persuasion and kissed the pout off her lips in another attempt to evade her question. Knowing full well what he was trying to do, Lily leaned into the kiss luring him into a false sense of security. Knowing this particular pattern from past experiences, she lead him to believe that he had fogged up her mind with his kiss. In truth she did feel a little woozy but she was intent on getting her answer. Her hands roamed his back edging lower until they reached their goal. Her fingers clasped around his wand in his back pocket, gracefully but speedily escaping his embrace.

"I'm not letting you apperate home until you tell me what they said." She teased mischievously and dashed away from his reach.

With a playful gleam to his silver-grey eyes he chased her around the garden of the Burrow. Their laughter could be heard by all those who remained; Lily was oblivious of her various family members that had peered out of the windows to watch them. Lily successfully avoided capture as they weaved through the garden foliage. She was too focused on not being caught by Scorpius who was close behind her, Lily failed to see her brother obstructing her path. She collided with him with a thud that almost knocked the wind from her lungs. Albus managed to grab her by the elbows to steady her stance.

Lily felt Albus stiffen and heard Scorpius skidding to a stop behind her. An awkward silence immediately grew between them as each exchanged wary glances with one another. Albus held Scorpius' gaze the longest and Lily chewed on her bottom lip as she watched the silent exchange between the two men. The tension in the air went on for a few moments longer, in which Lily began to feel it stifle the breath inside her. After what felt like an eternity, Albus turned his emerald gaze on Lily and his expression softened. It wasn't until then she realized that she'd been holding her breath the entire time. Well that explains why I couldn't breathe, she thought to herself. She released it with a slow whistle just as her vision began to spot.

"A few of us are heading to the Leaky Cauldron for a few drinks if you fancy on joining us," Albus asked awkwardly as he brushed his raven hair from his eyes.

Lily beamed at her brother and quickly turned to Scorpius. "What do you think," she asked hopefully. Now that her family knew about her relationship, she didn't care about the opinions of anyone else anymore.

"Sounds like a plan, but I have to head home and change first. Aimee decided to throw her juice all over me." Scorpius noted ruefully and held his hand out for his wand in which Lily relinquished it without protest. She may have lost the fight to find out what her Uncles had said to him, but something more important was happening: Albus was offering the olive branch of peace.

Under Albus' watchful gaze, Scorpius placed a chaste kiss on tip of her nose and apperated home. Lily gazed at the spot where Scorpius had just disappeared for a moment and then turned to her brother.

"Thank you," she whispered. She hugged him fiercely, then she stood on the tips of her toes to lay a kiss on his bristly cheek. "And you need a shave." She commented, slipping her arm through his.

He chuckled and relaxed instantly. With a free hand he rubbed his facial stubble. "Maggie likes my scruff." He grinned impishly and wiggled his eyebrows suggestively.

"Lets get out of here." Lily suggested while scrunching up her nose before the conversation shifted to a topic she'd rather not discuss. What her brother and best friend were up to after hours was not something she wished to dwell on for any amount of time. Albus was laughing as he apparated the two of them to them to the Leaky Cauldron without any further warning.

None of the pub's occupants looked twice when Lily and Albus appeared in the centre of the Leaky Cauldron. Lily immediately doubled over and willed herself not to be sick. The side affects of this particular form of transportation coursed through her body in its usual manner. Lily was grateful that she hadn't had this severe a reaction the time Scorpius had taken her on a side-long apparation. Lily straightened when she felt much better and saw Albus watching her sympathetically. He then cocked his head in the direction of their usual table.

James was already there with Amelia, Rose, Harrison and Maggie. "Lucy and Louis will be joining us later." James informed Lily. He stood up, extending his arm to Lily and ruffled her hair as he passed by her. "Just on the way to the bar. You two want a Butterbeer?" He asked and they both replied in the affirmative while they joined the others.

Maggie motioned for Albus to take the seat next to her and Rose scooted along the bench making room for Lily and Scorpius when he arrived. James came back with several pitchers of Butterbeer just as Louis and Lucy arrived with Isaiah and Jess. Both of the Weasley cousins were disappointed that Scorpius hadn't arrived yet, since they were close to the former Slytherin when they were all at Hogwarts. Lucy and Louis were ecstatic that Lily had formed a lasting attachment to their old friend; Lucy couldn't stop gushing on what a beautiful couple Lily and Scorpius made while Louis was anxious to catch up some more with him now that they all were more or less on good terms. Albus remained silent since this subject was something he hadn't come to terms with just yet. But he was making the effort since it meant the world to his only sister as well as his beloved Maggie.

After Lucy complained that he was late despite Lily explaining why he wasn't there yet, Scorpius walked through the pub door looking pristine in black. There was a moment of silence upon his arrival before the various groups in the room carried on with their conversations. Still, many of the customers watched the Malfoy heir warily as he went to join the Potter/Weasley table. They were used to seeing the Slytherin with Harry Potter's middle child, but there was no hiding the universal disbelief over the fact that the two were friends.

Lily took a sip of her drink and then placed her glass down on the table. She watched with growing admiration as Scorpius headed her way, skilfully ignoring the eyes on him. She felt breathless when his piercing gaze locked on her and her lips twitched into a smile. She half wondered why the crowd didn't look at him with the same appreciation she did. It was a shame that a family's history still meant so much in these times, even with the mutual respect Draco Malfoy and her father shared; her own Aunt Hermione valued the man Scorpius had turned out to be, proving that a name is just that: a name. Remembering her own prejudices from her youth, Lily decided she was either going to change their view on the subject or just shock them senseless with what she was about to do.

Once he was almost at the table Lily stood up from her seat. Before anyone, even Scorpius, could guess or ask on what she was doing, Lily wrapped her arms around his neck and placed a smacking kiss on his lips. He was surprised on what was happening, it took Scorpius a second or a few to respond to Lily; she felt his hands settle hesitantly on her hips as she kissed him with all the love and affection she had in her, stored from years of holding herself back.

In the background Lily could hear the blanket of silence that fell upon the pub. Despite the fact she accomplished her goal, Lily forgot exactly where she was, losing herself in the moment, in the kiss, in Scorpius himself. Low mutterings quickly filled the room as people stared at them. Lily heard someone cough as if to get her attention but she and Scorpius ignored them. It was only when Lily felt a scrunched up napkin and a coaster hit her in the back that she pulled away reluctantly.

Swivelling in Scorpius' embrace, Lily looked over her shoulder towards her family and friends. Many of them looked amused at the look of befuddlement on both of their faces. James was shaking his head at them as he tried not to laugh, but Albus wasn't as amused as his older brother. His knuckles were white as he gripped the table and his lips were set in a thin line. Knowing that his thoughts stemmed from his protectiveness of her, Lily sent Albus a sweet reassuring smile. Maggie softly massaged Albus' back, soothing him from his brief lapse into big brother mode. Lily showed no embarrassment as she took hold of Scorpius' hand and pulled him into the seat next to her. Maggie threw a tube of lipstick at Lily while Louis handed a napkin to Scorpius. As Lily reapplied her lipstick, Scorpius wiped the remnants of the cherry colour that had transferred onto his lips.

A quick glance around the room told Lily that there were many who were still staring at them in various states of shock and disbelief. Lily realized there would be some who believed the article Rita Skeeter wrote about Scorpius and how he was using her to make a name for himself. Lily didn't mind. In time they would realize the truth: the two of them were in love and that was all that mattered. She then thought to herself on how little other people's reactions mattered anymore; her friends and family were the ones that truly mattered in her heart. It was their reactions that had her afraid for such a long time; she had nothing else to worry about on that part of her life.

She let out a short giggle telling the group that she was amused about the reactions around her and several pairs of eyes rolled. Scorpius draped his arm over her shoulder and Lily was content to lean into his body as they spent time with her family over drinks.

Later that evening Scorpius walked Lily to her door. "Since today went so well, I was wondering if you fancied joining me and a few of _my_ friends for a late lunch tomorrow," he inquired, leaning casually against the wall.

Knowing that she couldn't exactly refuse him after all he'd done for her today, Lily hesitated. "Who exactly will be there?" She asked nonchalantly.

"Duanne of course. Along with Warrington, Goyle and his fiancée."

Lily wrung her hands nervously and huffed while she replied, "I suppose I can do that." She sighed and then realized she should probably show some enthusiasm despite the fact that she wasn't looking forward to seeing the two trolls again. "Where and when?" She asked with a smile.

"The Dragon Claw. I'll pick you up at two." He replied. Lily didn't know the place, having never been to that pub before. She frowned slightly, although she knew he wouldn't take her anywhere she wouldn't usually want to be seen in.

"See you then." She agreed and he leaned in to kiss her goodnight. He casually walked away as she slipped into her apartment and headed straight for bed. Lily spent a restless night troubling over how her lunch with the Slytherins would turn out. However, nothing could have prepared her for what did happen.

Sunday evening came around with Lily sitting on her sofa, reflecting over how the day had turned out. Lily was the first to admit that she would have laughed at anyone who would have suggested that one day this would happen. She sat in her flat, watching the four Slytherins she once saw as her enemies set up protection wards, ensuring a certain Malfoy elder couldn't get to her when she was there.

"Are all these precautions necessary?" Lily inquired heatedly. Her pride was being hurt by the coddling, though deep down they were probably right to be doing what they were doing.

Of all the possible outcomes of her meal with Scorpius' friends, Lily hadn't expected for what had happened. She'd been enjoying herself with Duanne and Scorpius there. Even Warrington and Goyle were tolerable. True there had been a few anti-muggle remarks coming from their mouths. However the remarks seemed to be more out of habit, resulting from their upbringing. Plus Duanne and Anneli Frey, Goyle's fiancée, were quick to deflect the comments and change topics easily. Lily had instantly taken a liking to the girl and found that they had quite a bit to talk about. The witch actually worked as an Auror for the German Ministry of Magic and had frequently worked with her brother Albus.

It was towards the end of the meal that the trouble started. The group had been laughing at something Duanne had said when the room had gone deadly silent. Lily felt the icy prickling sensation that someone unpleasant was staring at her. Looking up she'd met the malicious gaze of Lucius Malfoy. Lily could hardly believe that the elder Malfoy male could look physically frail yet his mere presence had terrified her. What happened next had been a blur; one second she saw him sneering at her and the next the men in the group had all stood up and blocked her from sight.

Lily had tried to step by them to confront the man herself, so she could show elder Malfoy that she wasn't afraid. However Scorpius was too protective of her to let Lily risk it; she'd seen him signal for Anneli to stop her. Anneli had dutifully moved to Lily's side, looking apologetic. Lily shook her head knowing that she couldn't hold this against the girl. Her job was to protect others and that was exactly what she and the men were doing. Scorpius had then stepped forward to talk to his grandfather while the rest of the group remained to protect Lily. Though she couldn't hear the discussion between the two Malfoy's, she found herself marvelling over the fact that the two men she used to compare to trolls were actually protecting her. She was definitely reassessing her opinion concerning Goyle and Warrington.

Scorpius had managed to say something to the elder Malfoy that had him retreating. It could have had something to do with the fact that their presence was drawing the unwanted attention of others. Scorpius had rejoined them at the table while keeping his eye on his grandfather who had headed to the door. Lucius had held Lily's gaze before he exited the pub and it was full of promise. He was definitely not finished with her.

Lily shuddered at the memory. Scorpius observed her reaction and came to join her on the sofa. He held her hands in his and the action brought her back to the present.

"I hope not," he said, answering her question. He brushed his lips gently against hers. "But there's no harm in being careful. You don't know what my grandfather is truly capable of and I'd rather not risk him getting to you."

She sighed as he leaned his forehead againt hers. "I wont be house bound." She replied stubbornly as she enjoyed his closeness. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath, drinking in the comforting scent of his cologne.

"Of course you won't be." He reassured her. "But he could find you alone here and I don't want to risk that." He sighed, his apprehension evident in his voice.

Ignoring the others in the room, Lily tilt her face so she could kiss him gently. She wanted to assure him that everything was fine, that she would be fine. "My father is Head Auror for the Ministry. Do you really think he'd let me move out on my own if he hadn't felt I could protect myself. My uncles and Teddy have made sure that I would be prepared always." She explained to him all the extra defence lessons they'd given her over the years, even before she had a real wand.

"I'm not doubting you, love," he replied kindly. "I'd just sleep peacefully knowing I've done everything in my power to keep you safe. Besides, your uncles made it abundantly clear what would happen to me if I don't keep you happy and safe." He admitted and his words captured Lily's interest. He sat back with a mocking smile on his lips. "My parents do expect an heir some day," he continued teasingly.

Lily's eyes widened in shock. "They didn't!" She gasped in horror when she realized what her uncles had threatened him with.

"Hush." He laughed placing a finger against her lips to silence her. "I have no intention of breaking my promise to them and to you. So let me set up these wards."

Lily rolled her eyes knowing that it would be pointless to continue her objections with him. He left the sofa and returned to his work. However, the amount of spells and wards they were setting up seemed a little extreme to her. She turned to her supposed ally and attempted to plead her case. "Duanne?" She called, hoping that he could talk some sense into his friend and perhaps turn the protection down a notch.

He turned to her taking a break from casting protective spells. A slightly mocking smile graced his lips. "Now, now Beautiful. Don't look to me to fight your cause. I'm in complete agreement with Scorpius in this. We can't let him get to you."

Lily sat back in heavily in her seat and wrapped her arms against her chest. "Overprotective louts." She grumbled and four male chuckles answered her objection.

"If you didn't want things to turn out like this you shouldn't have fallen in love with a Malfoy in the first place." Warrington pointed out dispassionately. "As a Potter you should have known better." he scolded. Lily just blinked at him in response. She hadn't expected such a cutting statement coming from him.

"I'm warning you Thomas. Shut it." Scorpius threatened but Warrington didn't take his warning to heart.

"I believe she did know better at first but the cunning git convinced her otherwise." Goyle replied and Lily suddenly realized that they were actually teasing each other.

"Don't pretend you're not a romantic at heart." Warrington bit back. "Your centre is all soft and gooey now that you've got Anneli."

Lily shook her head thoroughly surprised by the banter among the friends. They were certainly not how she expected them to be, as she recalled past experiences at Hogwarts. Her gaze turned to Anneli, who was watching the men in amusement. Anneli herself had been a surprise. From their brief meeting Lily had found out that Anneli was stubborn, down-to-earth and compassionate. Her deep violet eyes shone with intelligence and had a way assessing someone's thoughts and intentions with a swift glance. An ability common with Aurors. With her light blonde hair and attractive facial featutes there was a beauty about her that rivalled Lily's part-Veela cousins. There was also a modesty about her in which she didn't realize just how beautiful she was. In that way she reminded Lily of Amelia.

Lily watched Anneli as she held her head high and approached her man as she glared daggers at Thomas. "Are you implying I've turned my man soft? Because I have to say nothing about my hunk of a man is soft and I like to keep it that way." She explained and turned to gaze admiringly up at her fiancé. Not many people would have paired the couple together. They would probably suspect that their parents had something to do with the union but Lily felt that wasn't the case here. Lily watched with a growing smile as Goyle's face softened as he gazed on his love. Lily couldn't recall ever seeing that particular expression on the Slytherin's face. She didn't point out to Anneli that she'd just proved Thomas' words. Love had definitely softened the burly Slytherin just like it had softened her and her own beloved Slytherin, a fact she wouldn't change for the world.

Truly understanding and accepting the situation at hand, Lily stood up and went to stand next to Scorpius. "Since I can't stop you from converting my home into a fortress, could you please tell me what these wards will do. I don't remember learning anything about them in Defence Against the Dark Arts." She asked curiously and Scorpius beamed at her.

Before he could explain, Goyle cut in. "You wouldn't. They're my design."

Lily spun to face the other man. "Really?" She asked, shocked and amazed.

Her disbelief must have been all over her face because he chuckled. "You think because I cared little for my performance at school that I don't possess a brain?" He asked and Lily shifted guiltily.

"I didn't mean…" Lily began but he waved away her excuse.

"It's okay. Don't worry about it. You're not the first to think that and you certainly won't be the last." He grinned and continued with his explanation with an air of satisfaction. "The wards and spells aren't too dissimilar to those protecting Hogwarts. No one will be able to enter this place without your permission."

"Anyone trying to apparate here or taking the Floo network will be redirected to the portals **we **are setting up in the landing by your front door." Warrington continued.

"So what's stopping them from just opening the front door when they get here?" Lily asked turning to Scorpius as the others continued with their work.

Scorpius was happy to answer. "The ward I'm setting up forms an invisible barrier for the doorway and all the windows. They prevent people, creatures and spells from passing through them. You're the only one who will be immune to the wards."

"And how exactly to I allow people in?" Lily mused aloud.

Duanne was the first to answer next. "It's the same precaution as what you would do with a vampire. You have to invite them in and that person is granted access until you take back your invitation." Lily raised an eyebrow at him and he shrugged. "It may be a nuisance but it will stop Lucius from getting to you."

Lily nodded and have to move out of the way when Anneli went to hang a mirror beside the front door. "This mirror will also show you if the person at the door is actually the person you are seeing." Anneli explained without stopping on what she was doing. "Their image will glow red if they are trying to deceive you. Polyjuice potions, invisibility cloaks and spells as well as traces of the Imperius curse can be detected. It won't allow you to open the door if there's any danger."

"Are you for real?" Lily asked in disbelief "How come our Ministry doesn't know about objects like this?" She asked turning to Scorpius for answers.

Goyle was suddenly laughing. "Because I haven't started selling them yet." He admitted and Lily just gaped at him.

Scorpius reached for Lily's hand and dragged her a distance away from the others so that they could have some privacy. "The connection between our pendants mean that I'll have access through the wards. They will also alert me if you are in danger. Still, you may also want to look into getting a flatmate, someone you can trust," he suggested and Lily mulled over his suggestion.

He was right. It was logical for Lily to seek out a flatmate and in truth she'd been considering asking someone since the first day she woke up alone with only Padfoot in the flat. She decided to ask among her friends to see if any of them were looking for a place. Scorpius kissed her lightly as he got up and took his leave momentarily,

"There are a few things I need to do. I won't be long." He promised. "You'll be safe here with them." Lily nodded and approached Duanne to find out his policies on subletting after Scorpius disapparated.

It didn't take the three men and Anneli that much longer to finish with their tasks. Together they waited for Scorpius to return before they left her. As Lily was making them all a cup of tea there was a knock at the door.

"I guess it's time to check that these wards indeed work." Duanne announced rubbing his hands together in a sort of gleeful anticipation. Lily approached the door; she looked in the mirror and saw the clear image of Scorpius standing there with Jess, Delia, and the twins. Lily turned the handle and the door opened.

"Hey Lily." Delia beamed and waved as Jess curiously held her hand out towards the doorway, which stopped when it came upon an invisible barrier. It was clear that Scorpius had explained the measures they'd gone to in order to protect her home.

"What are you doing here?" She asked in surprise then stared questioningly at Scorpius.

"Scorpius explained about what happened with Lucius," Maggie answered, taking charge as always. Lily grinned at her best friend and Maggie grinned back, anxious to hug her best friend.

"He thought you may want some company tonight, so we're having a slumber party!" Delia exclaimed, obviously warming up to the Slytherin. "So are you going to let us in?"

Lily beamed at them and at Scorpius for his thoughtfulness. "Come in. I invite you in." She laughed finding some humour in her position as they all walked through the doorway and into the flat.

"That felt weird." Margarita shuddered as she stepped into the flat.

"Like walking through jelly..." Jess agreed.

"We better get going." Anneli announced, stepping forward and kissing Lily on the cheek. "It's been a pleasure meeting you. I hope we can do this again sometime." So as her friends entered the flat, Scorpius' friends left her. Scorpius stepped forward to kiss Lily goodbye.

"You're not staying?" She asked wistfully and he shook his head.

"I have things to do before work tomorrow but I'll be seeing you soon." Lily was reluctant on saying goodbye; part of her didn't want him to leave but she was also anxious on spending some time with her friends. After she had given him a goodnight kiss, he waved a general goodbye to the girls and left. Lily turned to face her friends' excitement.

Delia was practically bouncing on her heels with joy. Together they pushed the living room furniture to the side of the room and set up camp, placing lots of comfortable cushions on the floor. Delia pulled out a few bottles of pink champagne and the twins got out their kits needed for a night of pampering. The girls laughed and joked together as they put on facial masks, drank champagne and painted each others nails. Later on in the night Lily realized how much she needed this; Scorpius had known her friends would bring lighthearted fun to Lily's night after a day of tension.

Into the late hours of that night, practically the early morning the girls were finally exhausted and drifted off to sleep except Lily. She laced her beloved pendant through her fingers as sleep was overtaking her, thinking of its companion, her other half. She missed him dreadfully and as she reflected of each day that passed between them, she discovered something new about him, which thrilled her. As she contemplated her future with Scorpius, Lily found herself anxious for her to start living everyday with him. He was the only one for her; it took her losing him for two years for the truth to have finally sunken in. The fact he braved her whole family and gave her friends the chance they deserved long ago. He brought them here in her time of need, to keep her happy despite her nerves of one day facing Lucius Malfoy. She found herself wanting to see more of his friends, to find a way to fit into his life just as he was fitting into hers.

When sleep overcame her, Lily sighed with a smile on her lips. I love you, Scorpius Hyperion Malfoy, she thought dreamily.

_Thanks for reading. _


	44. C44: Interference

_Thank you for reading and reviewing and a big thanks to Klaudia who has helped me on this chapter despite being ill._

**Chapter 44: Interference.**

Lily leaned against the kitchen cabinet eating her porridge where she stood. A quick glance at the clock told her it was eight in the morning and she had an hour before she was to meet Maggie downstairs. She had plenty of time to finish her breakfast and have a cup of coffee before work. With the help of her friends they were ahead of schedule in opening up LiLu's Boutique. The interior was all done and courtesy of Margarita, there were some stunning pieces of artwork on the walls. Even the shelves were already half stocked with the items that Lucy had been busy replicating when Lily would finish the designs. Today, however, would just be her and Maggie in the store since the other girls were busy and Lucy had been called to help Molly with baby Perci.

Timed to perfection, the kettle began to whistle on the stove as soon as Lily was done with her breakfast. Placing the bowl in the sink, she retrieved the kettle and poured the boiling water into two mugs of coffee.

A loud crack echoed off the walls startling her at first. It took her a couple of seconds to recognise the sound as the arrival of the House Elf Minky. She was one of the four individuals who could pass through the wards protecting her home; Lily, Scorpius, Minky and Jaz, who was her new flatmate, were those four. They had no problems entering the flat without being granted permission, but only if the charmed mirror determined that nothing devious was going on. Lily continually found herself amazed by Goyle's inventions.

Lily looked up and greeted the House Elf. Like most House Elves, even those employed through an agency, Minky would be insulted if presented with clothes as a uniform. However, Lily had wanted to give Minky something special to wear other than the plain brown pillowcase she wore as a dress. Using the spare material from the shop she'd created the blue and green patchwork pillow Minky now wore with pride. A piece of cobalt blue fabric with silver swirls embroidered on it was twisted around her head as a bandana and the Elf had even fashioned a pair of shoes of sorts from some firmer cuttings. She wore her outfit with such immense pride that she had inspired Lily to form a new sideline business that really didn't take up much of her time at all. Using the left over scraps of material, Lily fashioned everyday items that House Elves saw as acceptable clothing substitutes such as pillows and tea-towels. She then donated the items to the agency and to any House Elf who came looking. Lily felt good knowing that nothing went to waste.

"There are more letters Miss Lily." Minky announced, with exasperation clear in her chiming voice. She shook her tiny head, causing her overly large ears to flap freely.

Lily regarded the envelopes in the House Elf's hands and frowned. The first of the letters had arrived on Monday morning and continually flowed in intermittently over the last four days. They all pretty much said the same opinion. The Wizarding community were voicing their concerns over her relationship with Scorpius and offered her their warnings. Lily scoffed as she continued to regard the letters; as if she would appreciate the interference! Didn't people have better things to do than offer her relationship advice? If she hadn't been Harry Potter's daughter she would have responded rudely by suggesting which part of their anatomy they could shove their advice.

As it so happens, it was because she was Harry Potter's daughter this was happening. She and her brothers knew they were always going to be bound to the public scrutiny of their world, which is something her father and mother managed to shield them from as much as they could when they were younger. As they each grew up, her father had explained to her, Albus, and James that they would have to learn how to deal with the public on their own and to the best of their abilities without seeming conceited or arrogant. She knew her father really didn't care of the public perception concerning himself since there were times in his youth the Wizarding community weren't that fond of him, but Lily didn't want to do anything that would reflect badly on him or possibly taint her future with Scorpius and the family she wanted to have with him. So instead of telling them where to go, she responded with polite messages of thanks but also mentioned that she knew what she was doing.

Lily sighed, not wanting to show her irritation to Minky. "Thanks Minky. Could you add them to the pile please." Lily replied politely indicating to the bag of letters she'd put by the front door.

Minky did so without hesitation and turned to Lily before she began her chores. She liked working for Lily Potter. She was a kind mistress just like the rest of her family and was innately tidy. There was often little for her to do, so she was always willing to ask if there was anything extra she could help with. "Is there anything else Minky can do for Miss Lily?" she asked in her sing-song voice.

Lily thought for a moment and inspiration hit her. "Actually, Minky, how are you at cooking?"

"Minky's skills are just as good as any other House Elf, Miss Lily." Minky replied, sounding slightly offended that Lily implied that her skills were anything less than perfect.

Since that had not been Lily's intention at all, she apologised quickly. "I was only asking because I'm atrocious at it. Would it be possible for you to prepare a lunch hamper? Enough for four?" Lily asked and pulled out a small purse of galleons and handed to Minky in case she needed to buy any items that Lily didn't have in her cupboards.

The House Elf took the pouch and attached it securely around her bony wrist. "Minky will do as Miss Lily's wishes." She reassured. "Any requests?"

"Only that there be some vegetarian options. I'll leave the rest in your capable hands." Lily said and smiled gratefully down at Minky.

Minky's face lit up at the compliment. "Yes Miss Lily. Minky will have it ready by noon." She explained and bowed low and began to check to see what food supplies were there.

Lily went back to making her coffee but stopped, noticing Minky trying to get her attention again. "Yes, Minky?" Lily asked cheerfully.

"Minky is sorry to bother you. But Minky was thinking that Master Tobias has not yet woken. Master Tobias said he had an interview today. Should Minky wake him?" She asked wringing her hands and glancing towards the spare room.

Lily followed her gaze and stared at the closed door. Jaz moved in two days ago since he'd been looking for a flat in London since his parent's lived in Cumbria, which was located up in the north of England. So far he'd been an ideal flatmate. They were friends and she knew she could trust him. Scorpius even liked him now that he knew he had no romantic feelings towards Lily. He was also a neat freak like Lily and he preferred to go out to meet friends rather than bring them back to the flat.

However, she hadn't seen Jaz since the evening before. He'd stormed into the flat giving off a 'don't talk to me' vibe that had Lily waiting until now to check on him. "That's ok, Minky. I'll wake him myself to take him some coffee."

"Thank you Miss Lily." Minky smiled and bowed once more and with a loud crack she disappeared on her way to the shops.

Lily carefully held the handles of the two mugs in one hand. Making sure neither of them spilled, Lily walked towards Jaz's door and knocked. There was no response on the first try so Lily knocked louder. This time she heard a sleepy grunt in response. Lily smiled to herself as she opened the door and stepped inside. The room was dark with the only light coming from the living room. Lily allowed her eyes to adjust and glanced towards the bed where Jaz was lying on his front with his arms and legs poking out from under the covers. His head raised off the mattress as he glanced in her general direction. He let out a sleepy groan and began to sit up readjusting his duvet.

"Good morning, Jaz. I have some coffee for you." Lily greeted while handing him the mug once he'd sat up and his back rested against the headboard. He took the offered coffee and gulped a mouthful. Lily heard his sigh of gratitude and with a half smile on her lips, she opened the curtains allowing sunlight to flood into the room. Another groan came from the bed. Lily turned around to see Jaz shielding his eyes from the light. When he glanced in Lily's direction, he looked as if he had the weight of the world on his shoulders.

Lily knew she should have ignored his vibes last night and checked on him regardless. Taking a sip of her own coffee Lily went to sit next to him on the bed. He shifted over giving her more room. "What's wrong?" she asked getting straight to the point. He shot her a sideways glance as if deciding whether or not to tell her. Lily rested her hand on his arm and nodded encouragingly. She didn't like seeing any of her friends like this.

With a heavy sigh Jaz began. "I met up with my parents last night." He stated and Lily could guess how that meeting went by the way his jaw was set. Lily let her head drop onto his shoulder as she half hugged him and waited for him to continue. She sensed that he needed some affection just then. Though she guessed how the meeting had turned out she knew her friend needed to voice his thoughts so she waited patiently prepared not to interrupt until he was finished.

"They're not a fan of Fernando." He stated with a frown. He tilted his face so his chin rested on her head. "They think he is all wrong for me. Not that they took the time to get to know him. They just took one look at Fernando and dismissed him." He explained, with bitterness seeping into every word. Lily felt her heart ache for her friend since it was clear that his parents hadn't yet accepted him for who he was. "They seem to think I am going through a phase, in which I should turn off my feelings and try not being gay."

"I'm sorry." Lily muttered not sure if there was anything she could say to him that would make him feel better. "Maybe they just need some time to wrap their head around your relationship." She suggested drawing experience of some of her family's reaction to Scorpius. "They'll remember how much they love you and want you to be happy."

He laughed hollowly. "Maybe I don't care what they think." He spat.

Lily knew that wasn't the case at all. Jaz was about as indifferent to his parent's opinions than Lily was about her own family's opinion of her. "Of course you care." Lily challenged. "They're your family. Just don't let them make you unhappy. They will come around in the end and if they don't see how special you are, it's their loss." Lily finished and kissed him chastely. He offered her a crooked smile in response. "Do you want to hang out tonight? I'll ask Minky if she has the time to make a curry or we could get a takeout dinner. I'll get some drinks and we can have ourselves a bitch-fest." Lily suggested, knowing that it would be good to let it all out. She had plenty to contribute due to the considering piles of letters from interfering busybodies.

"The offer does sound appealing but I'll have to take a rain check on tonight. Fernando's staying at the Leaky Cauldron and we sort of have plans tonight." He explained apologetically.

Since she knew there was no better person than Fernando to lick his beloved's wounds, Lily was not too disappointed that Jaz was busy. "Not a problem. I hope you have lots of fun." Lily smirked. "Now I better gather my things and get ready for work; as for you, it's time to get ready for your interview."

Jaz shot out of bed at the reminder. He'd been so distracted by the meeting with his parents yesterday that he'd forgotten about his interview with the Department of International Magical Cooperation at the Ministry of Magic. "Thanks for the wake up call and the coffee. See you later and we'll arrange a time for that bitch-fest you suggested." He finished with a wink and Lily slipped out of the room wishing him luck.

Several hours later, Lily was on the upper floor in her shop with Maggie. Lily sat experimenting with some fabric combinations while Maggie was busy laughing when going through Lily's mail and either read their words aloud or supplied Lily with a short summary. Since the words weren't directed at her she had the better temperament to deal with the task than Lily herself and that way she could get her work done at the same time.

"Latoya Bagshot is suggesting that you've fallen victim to the Confundus charm whilst Arnold Merryweather is afraid that you've been hit too many times in the head by a bludger." Maggie chuckled. "But both are suggesting you go to St. Mungo's to get checked out. Should I make you an appointment?" She teased clearly enjoying herself.

Lily battled to keep the scowl from her face. "Charming." She gritted out and set aside the fabric she's picked for the next dress. "Could you send them the standard reply, but mention that I've recently had my yearly medical and am perfectly healthy in both body and mind. Also thank them for their concern." Lily suggested, half wishing that she didn't have to be so diplomatic.

"I wouldn't be so polite." Maggie boasted but she did as Lily asked and began replicating the standard response Lily had put together on Monday when the blasted letters began to arrive.

"Well, when and if people decide to write and complain about your relationship with Albus then you may be as boorish as you like." Lily grinned. She knew full well that everyone apart form Maggie's parents actually approved of the match; the Zabini's didn't care enough about their daughter to object. "I fear if I'm that blunt it will backfire and they'll say what a bad influence Scorpius has on me." Lily sighed and Maggie couldn't argue with that. That did tend to be the viewpoint of the public. Maggie tossed the finished letters onto the pile and reached for the next unopened envelope.

"Oh this letter from Agatha Crumble actually congratulates you on your new relationship." Maggie announced surprised before she read on. "Oh wait. She is also warning you to be careful. Seems to think Malfoys can't be trusted." Maggie finished with a frown.

"She and the rest of Britain it seems." Lily gritted out. She was reaching the end of her tether already. There was only so many objections and insults she could take.

Maggie gazed sympathetically at her friend. "I wouldn't read into it. If I remember rightly Astoria has mentioned this Agatha Crumble before. Crumble had a crush on Draco and stalked him for a while."

"So in other words she's bitter." Lily grinned, finally finding something to be amused about. "What does the next one say for themselves?" She asked thinking that one more letter would do for the day.

Maggie laughed as she read the next letter to herself. She then reported back to Lily once she got control of her laughter. "Benedict Crossly believes you need rescuing and is offering to be your knight in shining armour."

"This is beyond ridiculous, Maggie." Lily laughed. "We're done with the letters. I know more will come but we have better things to do than spend our time reading and replying. If they don't have better things to do other than give me advice on my love life then that is their fault. They'll just have to read the gossip columns to find out that I'm paying no heed to their advice."

Maggie applauded Lily's declaration. She'd actually expected her friend to last a few more days before she had enough and put a stop to all this. She was so proud of her Lily in this moment.

A loud crack echoed around the room and Minky appeared with a basket levitating beside her. "Minky is here with your lunch, Miss Lily." The House Elf announced proudly and set the basket down.

"Thanks Minky. I just have one last favour to ask of you for the day. Could you please take this letter to my mother?" She asked as she fumbled around for the letter she'd recently finished, which had consisted of updating her mum with everything that had gone on since the party at the Burrow.

"Of course Minky will do that gladly." She replied and skipped forward to take the letter from her mistress.

"I'm sure your mum will be pleased to see you as well. Please send Binky my love while you're there."

"Of course, Miss Lily. Good day to you, Mistress Zabini." She said and bowed to the two witches before she disappeared once more.

Once they were alone Lily stood up and grabbed the hamper Minky had left with her. "Come on let's go." Lily instructed and held her free arm out for Maggie to link with hers.

Maggie gleefully took Lily's offered arm. "Where are we going? To show the world the love we have denied ourselves for so long? It was only a matter of time we throw them a new angle of Lily Potter's scandalous love life." She innocently inquired. Lily laughingly lead them out to the street and locked the shop behind them. Once their laughter died down Lily hugged Maggie closer and proceeded to tell her the plan she had come up with.

"Not exactly, silly. The Ministry of Magic. We're going to surprise Scorpius and Albus with lunch." Lily explained with a grin. After all those letters she needed to see Scorpius and Maggie had been complaining that she didn't get to see Albus enough since he was working too hard. "We might as well confess to them our undying love, although maybe it's best if we keep it to ourselves. You never know how fragile a man can really be. One little small confession of true love between two gorgeous witches might have them come undone." Maggie and Lily doubled over with laughter, each struggled to calm down as they walked to the Ministry.

"I agree; it will always be our little secret. As for your brilliant plan, I find it excellent." Maggie grinned with approval. "Do they know we're coming?"

"It wouldn't be much of a surprise if they did, would it?" Lily teased.

For that remark Maggie apperated them to the entrance of the Ministry without warning her best friend. Doubling over, Lily waited for the nausea to pass. "I think you lied to me when you said you weren't seeing Albus enough. It seems that you are seeing too much of each other." Lily complained. "You've both picked up the habit of taking me on side-long apperations with no warning whatsoever. I was going to suggest we take the floo network."

Maggie rolled her eyes and dragged Lily to the visitors entrance. "Come on we have important people to see," she said bossily while Lily laughed at her friend's eagerness to see Al, glad that the nausea passed quickly.

As they headed to the Department of Magical Law both girls ignored the catcalls and wolf whistles they gained from the wizards who should be working. Years ago Maggie would have loved the attention, even relished in it. Now, as Lily saw with happiness, she had eyes only for Albus. She couldn't believe she had a huge crush on James before she'd fallen for Albus. Lily tended to shy away from any sort of attention but having Maggie there gave her the confidence to walk by without even blushing.

Upon finding their destination many of the witches and wizards were still at work. The young wizards on this floor knew better than to draw the attention of Harry Potter. Besides, many of the Aurors and the Ministry staff had known Lily since she was a little girl and were just as protective as her own father. They also knew of the two men the girls were dating and no one wanted to mess with either of them. Despite this knowledge, however, some of the wizards were hoping that the relationships the girls had weren't serious although they would never outright admit it.

The girls found both their men engrossed in a heated discussion, apparently something that involved their work. Rose was with them and looked as if she wanted to box both their ears. She probably would have if Harrison hadn't hollered and asked her to lunch. Rose didn't even notice the girls standing there as she went to meet her man. Maggie and Lily shared a look of amusement as they waited for their men to notice they had company. Several of the other workers had noticed and stared.

Albus was the first to notice them. "What are you two doing here?" He blurted out in such a way that had the two girls frowning at him.

"Nice of you to look so pleased to see us." Lily scolded and glared at her brother for his faux pas. She was sympathetic though since he looked as if he'd been in a fight recently. He had a shining bruise on his eye and Lily hoped it had nothing to do with Scorpius.

Albus blanched especially when he saw how little Maggie appreciated his comment. "Sorry. It's been a stressful morning," he explained contritely and quickly went to soothe his girlfriend's rising irritation.

Lily smirked and turned to her man and almost losing herself in the silver-grey of his eyes. They really were dangerous. They had a habit of drawing her in which she forgot everything else. Luckily this time Lily kept her wits about her. "I suppose saving the world can get stressful. You're forgiven brother." Lily got out before she locked lips with her man's albeit too briefly for her liking.

"Very funny, Lily." Albus retorted somewhat sarcastically once he'd made up with Maggie for his previous thoughtlessness. "You know it's not about saving the world but changing for the better. So what are you two doing here?" He asked the question in a pleasant tone but this didn't stop Maggie from slapping him on the upside of his head.

Both Lily and Scorpius chuckled as Maggie scolded her man once more. Lily held up the hamper and the delicious aromas coming from under the tea towel met their nostrils. "We've brought lunch and thought we'd hang around here and share it with you. Though after your greeting I'm considering uninviting you." Lily teased.

They all heard Albus' stomach grumble and a flow of complimentary word escaped his lips in thanks. His change in attitude had the other three laughing and in high spirits. Scorpius regarded the basket cautiously despite the appetizing scent. "You didn't make it did you?" He asked warily and Lily ignored the implication of an insult from her man. It was good that he knew she was a hopeless cook from the start. There was no way that she was going to do all the housework when they eventually began living together.

"Don't look so worried, Scor." Lily assured him. "Minky put it together. I actually have no idea what's in here so I guess we'll find out together." She laced her fingers with his and he gazed back lovingly. Lily was almost losing herself in the depths of his eyes again.

"We better not stay here, though." She heard her brother say, keeping her grounded. "People will be wanting to work. The meeting room's empty so I guess we can go in there."

Upon that suggestion the four of them entered one of the smaller meeting rooms and shut themselves in. Lily delved into the hamper retrieving plates of delicious bite-sized treats. Minky had out done herself and Lily decided she'd ask her for some cooking lessons if they ever had any time to spare.

The four of them tucked in to their lunch. "So what have you boys been doing to change the world?" Lily asked as she savoured the bread crumbed cheesy treat.

Scorpius answered since Albus had his mouthful as he chomped on a miniature cheese burger. "I've been helping your Aunt put her case together to have some of the pro-pureblood laws abolished as well as confiscating a few items that are far from legit. Your brother, sadly, has had to handle Knox Drumshaw all morning," he finished and sent a smirk in Al's direction.

Lily couldn't help but be pleased at how comfortable the two now appeared in each others company. "The bastard had been torturing house elves among other creatures." Albus explained once he swallowed his food. "And he is about to get a ticket to Azkaban, unfortunately not a one-way one. He was a nightmare to restrain, though."

"Hence your brother's black eye and wonderful attitude." Scorpius teased and Albus pulled a face proving his point.

"You leave my big brave man alone." Maggie retorted, coming to her man's defence. She slipped into the space next to him and cradled his head against her chest.

"Yeah." Albus said childishly and stuck his tongue out at Scorpius. He was loving the attention of his girlfriend and Lily had to admit it was certainly refreshing observing the playful banter between the two men. Lily reached for a strawberry and dipped it into the pot of cream before popping it into her mouth.

"I'll kiss your owies better." Maggie soothed and covered his blemished cheekbone with feather light kisses.

Lily had to look away and found Scorpius watching her. The look in his eyes stole her breath away. "You've got cream on your…" He reached out and brushed away a spot of cream from the corner of her mouth with his thumb.

Turning in to his caress, the couple found themselves leaning in for a kiss only to find themselves being bombarded by flying grapes.

"Hey have a heart and don't do that." Albus complained scowling at them. Maggie was watching him and his reactions with amusement.

"Do what?" Scorpius asked innocently, though they both knew what he was referring to.

"_Do what?_ you ask." Albus repeated shaking his head at them in disbelief. "Yes, I just _LOVE_ seeing my best friend fawn over my sister," he retorted sarcastically.

"As apposed to me seeing my best friend fawn over my brother?" Lily shot back quickly. "Do get back to that. You're far less likely to interfere that way." She saw Albus smile at her witty response but she wasn't finished just yet. She did, however, allow herself to experience the joy she felt of hearing Albus refer to Scorpius as his best friend. "Besides, maybe I have owies in need of kissing. I've received hundreds of letters from people trying to tell me how to live my life. If I need kissing, then you better let him be and let him damn well do it!"

This point she made had Albus grin at her. "Touché, Lily." He then turned to Scorpius and raised a sympathetic brow. "You sure you can handle my sister, Scor?"

Scorpius seemed to laugh in pure pleasure. "I think I'll manage, mate. But I thank you for the _sincere_ concern"

Captivated by the sound of his laughter, Lily stroked his cheek affectionately. She wondered if his happiness had anything to do with the fact that Albus seemed to be accepting of their relationship. She highly thought so.

"Listen, both of you." Albus interrupted. "I've finally got my head around this now and Scor, I even appreciate the length you've gone to in order to help my sister and keep her safe. But if you insist on all this lovey dovey eye glances please don't do them in front of me." He scolded but he was smiling.

"You know where the door is." Scorpius shot back, intent on teasing and ignoring Albus at the same time.

"Or we can just do this." Maggie supplied and with a wave of her wand there was a barrier separating Scorpius from Lily. Lily laughed at her friend's blatant attempt to keep Albus happy although she seriously doubted it needed to be done. Albus hadn't seemed angry.

"Very funny, Maggie. Ok, ok! We'll play nice." Scorpius assured her, though Lily wasn't so sure she agreed with the conditions. She slightly pouted of the hypocrisy of it all and gave Maggie an annoyed look, in which her best friend conveniently ignored. Lily silently sighed in defeat.

"Promise?" Maggie pressed and once Scorpius agreed, Lily knew that she would have to behave because she would not make Scorpius a liar. She wasn't happy about the unfairness of it all. She huffed just to let them know her thoughts of the subject, an action that Scorpius genuinely appreciated. He gave her a chaste kiss on the cheek, which had both Maggie and Albus nod in approval while Lily stuck her tongue out at them, taking a leaf out of her brother's book. Albus winked at her and laughed, settling himself down to eat some more.

The four sat back and finished their lunch, enjoying each others company. When it was almost time for the men to get back to work and the girls to head back to the boutique, Scorpius pulled Lily to the side. "Are you all set for this Saturday?" He asked caressing her cheek now that her brother wasn't paying them any attention.

Lily knew exactly what he was referring to. She'd been invited out to dinner by Draco and Astoria Malfoy. "Meeting your parents? I'm looking forward to it. Your grandparents aren't coming are they?" She asked with a mixture of uncertainty and fear. Lily hadn't come across Lucius since that time at The Dragon Claw Inn and was happy to avoid him a little longer.

Scorpius shook his head. "No way. Though Lucius wouldn't dare try anything with them there, he's chosen to stay at home and my Grandma with him." He assured her and Lily felt relieved although one thing was puzzling her.

"Does she feel the same about me as your grandfather?" she asked.

"No, or at least I don't think so. She hasn't said much yet." Scorpius shrugged, wishing he had a better response for her.

Lily thought over the response and finally nodded. "Ok. We'll leave you to get on with your work." She walked out of the meeting room with Scorpius and didn't mind that people stared. The more they saw her and Scorpius together looking happy, the less likely they were to try to interfere. "Come along, Maggie." Lily called and the two girls linked arms, making their goodbyes. They left the department as their men and several others watched them go.

Lily turned around and caught Scorpius' eye; she smiled lovingly at him and blew him a kiss with her free hand, ignoring the world except for him. She caught Maggie's eye and she giggled. She laid her head on Maggie's shoulder, and their laughter was heard amongst the other sounds of the floor. Lily didn't see her father, who was smiling at the obvious happiness of his little girl. He caught Albus and Scorpius looking at him. Harry Potter grinned at his son and his best friend, and walked back into Hermione's office to discuss the morning's events.


	45. C45: Meet the Malfoys

_Thank you for reading and reviewing and a big THANK YOU to Klaudia for her beta help._

**Chapter 45: Meet the Malfoys**

Lily was nervous and there was no point in denying it. Only a fool would believe otherwise and neither Fernando nor Jaz were fools. Lily smoothed down the skirt of her amber formal dress with open palms. Jaz's golden brows rose at her nervous gesture and Fernando handed her an herbal tea. "It will calm your nerves." The Spaniard told her in thickly accented English. He let go of the cup only when he was sure she had a firm grip. He didn't want her to _accidentally _drop the drink.

In reality, she wasn't really an herbal tea drinker. She preferred coffee or anything that had an abundance of caffeine in it. To her annoyance, Fernando had insisted she stay away from her favourites since caffeine wouldn't do her any good right now as it would only add to her jitters. He was unbearably bossy when he wanted to be and Jaz was no help either. In fact, he seemed rather amused by the whole thing and didn't see the need to save her from his man. Jaz seemed to think that Fernando bossing her about was doing her some good; Lily suspected he was glad that his man now had someone else other than him to lord over. Lily sent them both a dark look and hesitantly took a sip. To her surprise the hot liquid had a floral taste about it that wasn't entirely unpleasant. Her eyes widened in amazement and she took another sip.

Jaz was looking a lot better after venting all his frustrations the night before. Though they hadn't had the chance to get together on Thursday, their Friday evening had been free. He still carried his troubles but at least he'd been able to get it all out in the open. Only time would tell if his problems could be resolved.

Shifting her gaze away from the blonde, it settled on the Spaniard who caught her attention once more. He'd taken a step back and his dark brown eyes studied her appearance objectively. He took in every detail: his gaze roamed over the snugly fitted but modest dress and delicate bronze accessories she'd picked out to complete the look. She had used the bare minimum of make-up: a little mascara and lip gloss never hurt anyone. Even her hair had been gathered into a simple up-do. Though she wanted to make a good impression on Scorpius' parents, she was also conscious of not going overboard. She rarely trusted people who caked on the make-up. It always made her wonder what they were trying to hide. Besides, what she looked like wasn't really important but they would at least know she'd made an effort.

"Do I pass?" Lily asked, her lips twitching under his scrutiny.

"You are beautiful." He announced. "Too beautiful. Like your Domi and Roxie and the rest of those cousins of yours. It is not fair to have so many beautiful women in one family. It's unnatural." Fernando finished with a dramatic sigh.

"We have beautiful men in our family as well." Lily smirked back mischievously and it was his turn to send her a dark look. It was true: the Potters and Weasleys had indeed inherited attractive genes.

He took a seat next to his man and draped a possessive arm over his shoulder. "I am glad none are wanting to steal my Toby from me."

Lily took the chair across from them and continued drinking her tea. Looking over her mug, Lily winced at the speculative look the two men were giving her together. Whatever they were thinking it wasn't going to be good. Rolling her eyes, Lily lowered her drink so it rested in her lap and waited for their comments.

"Merlin help everyone if our little flower has children with her Slytherin." Jaz began and Lily felt her face heat up. Though thoughts of children were premature, she couldn't deny that the thought hadn't crossed her mind. She couldn't help it. With her cousins having little ones of their own, their happiness had Lily constantly wondering of her future and the children that no doubt would grace her life with such joy; it had her anxious to know when her life would begin with her man. Ever since she had seen Scorpius with her goddaughter, she'd wondered what their future children would look like. She'd pictured a little girl not unlike Aimee, with Scorpius' white blonde hair and her unusual golden eyes that would sometimes appear a blueish green. The men in front of her had different ideas and it was clear that they weren't imagining her possible offspring as children but as grown adults: a mixture of Lily and Scorpius.

"Her glorious red hair." Fernando nodded enviously eying her vivid locks.

"His smouldering grey eyes" Jaz said in such a way that had his man throwing a cushion at him which caused Lily to giggle before they resumed their observations.

"His cheekbones."

"Her dazzling smile. Men and women alike will make utter fools of themselves." Jaz grinned clearly enjoying himself.

They were both enjoying themselves too much in Lily's opinion. "Ok, that's enough." Lily said standing up. Her cheeks began to match the colour of her hair which Fernando had just been admiring.

"You two better get going. Enjoy your concert." She said with her signature smile on her face despite her embarrassment. She began ushering them out of the flat.

They were laughing all the while. "Are you sure you don't want us to stay. We still have some time to spare. We'll-"

"Out!" Lily laughed cutting Jaz off though she continued to smile. She waved them off happily. Lily might have been a little embarrassed by their teasing but it had taken her mind off her nerves. She saw them to the door and heard them turn their teasing banter onto each other as they descended the stairs.

Lily was about to close the door when Scorpius appeared. "Wow you look-" he began but Lily brought her fingers to his lips to silence the compliment. She was blushing far too much already. She shut the door behind her so they both stood in the stairway.

She raised her arms, extending them around his shoulders which were covered by black fabric. Feeling the silky fabric beneath her fingertips, she carefully gripped the lapels of his shirt and gently pulled him down to her. Scorpius placed a hand bracing himself on either side of the door frame, his lips hovering over hers. Moving on to the tips of her toes, Lily allowed their lips to meet. She gave him a proper kiss this time; not one of the chaste ones her brother had insisted on the last time the couple were together.

As soon as their lips met everything else ceased to be important. Lily felt her whole body come alive and a wave of heat spread through her body. A new hunger began to stir. Suddenly she wanted more of him. She urgently wanted to experience his hands against her skin, her own lost in his own blonde locks.

Lily began to feel breathless. However, Scorpius had managed to restrain himself. Lily inwardly huffed; the irritating man didn't want to cooperate. His hands stayed firmly against the door frame which served as his barricade; he knew if he were to put his hands on her soft skin, it would lead to something that would distract both of them from the engagement at hand**.**

Scorpius pulled back suddenly and straightened. "We better go" he said in a pained voice as he struggled to control his breathing.

Lily blinked foolishly up at him, noting that his wintery eyes were darker than usual - The colour of fog during the night. "Go?" she repeated in a weak voice. She couldn't remember where they were supposed to be going.

Scorpius sent her a satisfied smirk which caused her to frown. "To meet my parents." He stated with a hint of amusement in his voice.

Lily's eyes widened like saucers. "Your parents! Of course!" She gasped wondering why a simple kiss had caused her to forget something of that importance, ignoring the fact that indeed it wasn't a normal kiss; it was more of a yearning that had begun to grow. She decided to place the blame on Jaz and Fernando; no doubt their earlier teasing had contributed to her hormone driven behaviour. One couldn't bring up the subject of what her and Scorpius' children would look like, and not expect her to think about the act of creating them. Lily felt her face heat once more. It was a good thing neither Jaz nor his boyfriend were around right now because she had an urge to hex them both. However Scorpius' offered hand stopped that thought in its tracks.

"We are to apparate?" she asked eyeing his hand and causing her man to frown.

"Is that a problem?"

Lily wanted to shake her head and assure him that it was fine, but she didn't want to lie about something so silly. She had to be honest, even if it was concerning something dumb in her opinion. She sighed heavily and nodded. "It isn't my favourite mode of transport. It makes me feel like my insides are squashed together and I tend to forget how to breath." Lily explained and gave a small shrug of her shoulders. "Besides I'm totally hopeless at it. I failed the test several times. Can't we walk or floo there?" Lily asked knowing that her body was already in turmoil. She didn't need the affects of apparating to add to her worries. She'd end up doubling over and emptying the contents of her stomach on Scorpius' nicely polished shoes - or worse, his father's.

Scorpius' eyes widened with surprise before he recovered and smiled at her. "I cant imagine you failing at anything." He smirked and suddenly had an idea of how to get Lily to the restaurant quickly. His fingers hooked the chain around his neck and drew it from under his shirt. The scorpion pendent hung proudly from it. "Follow me with your locket." He suggested and Lily got excited by the idea since she'd not tried travelling that way yet. "I'll apparate there and wait a second before you enclose it yours in your hand and think about being by my side. I'll do the rest."

The couple quickly make sure their clothes was straight and that none of Lily's lip gloss had transferred to Scorpius' lips. Scorpius then apparated to the restaurant. Then Lily held her lily pendant in her hand and closed her eyes. It was easy to think about Scorpius as she did this since she'd done it countless times before. Except this time was different: this time she pictured being by his side wherever he was. Suddenly her whole body began to tingle and was surrounded by the familiar feeling of being loved. When she opened her eyes again she stood outside an expensive looking restaurant peering into the silver-grey eyes of her man.

Lily was overwhelmed with joy; 'wow' was the only word that came to mind to describe what had happened . "Now that's a way to travel." She sighed and wavered on the spot. Scorpius smiled as he wrapped an arm around her to steady her.

"Shall we head in?" he asked and she nodded. Together they went to meet Mr. and Mrs. Malfoy.

As Scorpius directed her to the open air terrace she felt many sets of eyes on her. That they were hostile and directed towards the Slytherin was unmistakable. Scorpius began to feel somewhat uncomfortable and didn't want Lily to be burdened with the extra attention she already had. He began to remove his arm and pull away slightly as they walked side by side but Lily wasn't having any of it. She didn't like him pulling away even though his intentions were pure. They had spent too long apart from each other to act all hesitant now; she refused to give in to public scrutiny especially when Scorpius was concerned. She felt nothing wrong with their show of affection so she reached out and entwined her fingers with his. When he tried to pull away, Lily gripped his hand stubbornly and looked up at him, with a blazing look in her eye.

He caught the determination in her eyes and although he wished to spare her from all the negative attention, he loved her all the more for it. Years ago she would have felt she unable and, if she was honest with herself, unwilling to endure the stares. Lily noticed he was overjoyed to see that she had found her strength. He bent down to kiss her tenderly and the both of them ignored the gasps of outrage and shock around them; she hugged him fiercely and threw those who stared a haughty grin worthy of a Slytherin which caused Scorpius to laugh.

The gasps were followed by words of caution as two others joined the scene. Tearing their attention away from each other, Scorpius motioned to the newcomers. "Lily, meet my mother and father."

Lily had been nervous earlier in the day, but as she laid eyes on his parents she felt all of her nerves disappear. Like his son, Draco Malfoy was dressed in black. Mr. Malfoy had aged well over the years and the resemblance between the two was uncanny. Though Draco was slighter and his facial features were more angular than his sons, he was handsome if one's tastes went to older men. As it happened, Lily was happily satisfied with her choice.

His gaze was guarded as he nodded in her direction. Lily smiled back, channelling the 'charm' her brother had alluded to years ago, hoping to put the man at ease. He seemed as nervous about this meeting as Lily had been.

"It's lovely to finally meet you." Lily said knowing her words were true. Though their paths had crossed in the past, this was the first time they were going to attempt to have a proper conversation. He seemed startled by the genuine warmth behind her declaration so she quickly turned her attention to Scorpius' mother.

Seeing her dressed in silver, Lily could see why she'd thought the woman was an angel when she'd seen her through the eyes of a nine-year old. There was a radiance about her Lily now knew belonged to women who loved deeply and were loved in return. All the women in her family shared that glow, even Andromeda had the lingering effects of being loved that strongly, though it was tainted by the pain of loss. Lily was happy to see that Scorpius' parents were as happy in their marriage as her own were. It boded well for the future. Lily quickly stopped thoughts of the future and concentrated on the present.

Astoria opened her arms in greeting but hesitated as if thinking better of it. Sensing the action had nothing to do with her but everything to do with their audience' low opinion of the Malfoys, Lily stepped forward and kissed each of the elder woman's cheeks in greeting as she would with any of her aunts. The gesture pleased both Scorpius and his mother and even Draco appeared to warm to her as the maitre d showed them to their table.

The four slipped into conversation which began a little awkwardly but grew more comfortable as the night wore on. It also helped that the other customers stopped staring. Though some gazes still zoomed in on Harry Potter's youngest child, the beacon of light with her vivid red hair and amber dress, against the almost grey scale tones of the fair haired Malfoys, most had lost interest. Several concluded that not even a Malfoy was foolish enough to attack the Chosen One's child in front of so many witnesses, not aware that their own assumptions were ridiculous and uncalled for.

"So how did you two discover you should be together? Did the feeling grow gradually over time or did it hit you all of a sudden?" Astoria asked without embarrassment of the personal nature of the question.

Lily looked towards Scorpius before she answered. "At first, to say we didn't get along would be an understatement." Lily explained smiling at the memories. "We were constantly getting each other into trouble and had more than our fair share of detentions."

"My baby in trouble? When was this?" Astoria asked in disbelief as she studied the expressions of her husband and son. Lily cringed when she realized she'd said something she shouldn't. Lily sent Scorpius a look that said he should have warned her. He gazed back apologetically as Draco attempted to placate his wife,

"We didn't want to worry you, love." Draco said quietly.

Astoria sent him a looked which promised retribution for keeping things from her before she turned back to Lily. "Continue…please."

Lily took a deep breath and after seeking an encouraging nod from Scorpius, she did as requested. "It was actually during our detentions that my feelings for him changed. The headmaster had had enough of our constant bickering, you see, and ordered us to work together. Your wonderful son was so different than who I believed him to be, which persuaded me to re-evaluate my preconceptions about him. As it turns out, I was wrong and we started seeing more of each other out of our detentions. If it weren't for those detentions, I would have missed out on so much." Lily summarised vaguely feeling that they didn't need to know the details, although the fact the memories had her smiling and gazing at Scorpius lovingly.

However, she began to struggle on trying to sugar coat what happened next but luckily Scorpius jumped in.

"However, it was my N.E.W.T year and she had O.W.L's to study for, so we found ourselves committed to our studies and we saw less and less of each other. When I graduated, we didn't see each other at all since she still had two years left to finish. It was only at the World Cup where our paths crossed and we decided to give it another go." He explained and Lily sent him a satisfied nod.

Soon their conversation shifted to Lily's career plans to which Astoria got excited. "Oh you must join me on my visit to Rome. You'll love the fashions there - it being the fashion capital of the world. You're bound to gather lots of inspiration and you should bring your mother along. It would do us good for the women to spend time together."

Though she'd been informed of the invite by Scorpius, Lily feigned surprise. "That would be wonderful. Rome isn't a place I've visited on my travels. My Aunt Hermione took my cousin Rose and I to Milan instead. I've heard so many amazing things about it though. I'll ask my mum but I'm sure she'll be interested."

"I'll send you the details by owl tomorrow." Astoria beamed. "We have an apartment in the heart of Rome that I'm sure my son has told you about. You may stay there or at any of our other houses as often as you wish."

Lily blinked at the news. "Actually I had no idea." Lily said and gave Scorpius a curious look.

Astoria had said houses - as in multiple houses in multiple countries across the world. She knew that the Malfoy's were rich but she never expected they were that rich. Scorpius shrugged in response.

"Men! They do neglect to share important information. It's a wonder we put up with them." Astoria tssked and Lily caught the playful glint in the woman's baby-blue eyes.

With a teasing gleam in her own, Lily flashed her man teasing smile as she agreed. "It is a wonder, yes." Scorpius tweaked her chin affectionately.

Ignoring the startled glances of the other customers that hadn't stopped staring, the women resumed their playful banter and finished their meal. Lily still saw the stiffness in Scorpius' father though he was far more relaxed than Lily had ever seen him before. She sensed he still wasn't comfortable dropping his guard down completely when in company. She tried to ease his comfort but realised it wouldn't happen with their audience. She found herself longing for dinners to be held away from prying eyes. Maybe next time they'd go to the restaurant that kept the identities of their customers hidden from other guests.

Lily wasn't regretting meeting the Malfoy's nor was she embarrassed of eating here with them. She just wanted to regain some privacy. As she conversed with Astoria, she held Scorpius' hand tightly in her own. She began to flirt with the ideaof asking her parents to invite them to Grimmauld Place for a small dinner. Of course she could hold a small dinner party at her own flat - but she was a terrible cook. She'd have to beg Minky for more cooking lessons or ask for more of her help when Lily thought the young House Elf already did enough. Lily's mother on the other hand was a brilliant cook and she actually enjoyed the task. Lily grew more interested in the idea the more she thought about it. As the time to bid goodnight approached, was beaming with utter joy. She would indeed be doing so major grovelling to her mum soon.

As the young couple left, they missed the tender moment Draco Malfoy shared with his wife. His silver-grey eyes were conflicted as he watched his son walk hand in hand with the Potter girl. Astoria gently squeezed his hand to let him know she was there and understood. Draco hadn't missed the telling behaviour that confirmed his son was truly in love. The way he was constantly leaning in close to the Gryffindor girl even when their attention was diverted else where, how he was unconsciously touching her whether it be to sweep a loose curl from her face, or brush his hand against hers. He'd also noticed that his son's gaze would also be drawn to the girl even when he'd been talking to Astoria or himself. His gaze would soften as if he was looking upon something precious that needed to be cherished and protected. He'd never seen his boy that happy before.

And what made it even more incredible to Draco was that not only was his son, a Malfoy, in love with a Potter, it was that with every ounce of his being, Draco knew the girl felt the same way about his son. He always knew his son had feelings for the girl back at their days at Hogwarts, but deep down he had hoped it wouldn't happen and had liked the possibility that the girl would never reciprocate the feelings. As it turned out, he was wrong; his son was right to have waited as long as he did. Lily Potter was irrecoverably in love with Scorpius Malfoy.

"My father is going to be a nightmare." He sighed in resignation of what was to come.

Astoria caressed his back affectionately as she guided him away from prying eyes and ears. She made sure they were in a secluded part of the restaurant as they prepared to apparate to their peaceful home and she looked at her husband with a knowing look**.** She'd seen the tell tale signs as well and the almost worshipful gleam in Scorpius' gaze on Lily was identical to the one in her husband's eyes when they were alone.

"When he realises that the Daily Prophet has it all wrong, that our boy isn't using the dear girl to improve his situation but is in fact in love with her. Of course he is." she said softly.

The expression her husband now wore was one she had not seen since the early years following the war. It was one of a man who thought he was a less of a man than he was. One who regretted and was fearful of repeating past mistakes or giving in to weaker elements of his personality. "Do you think it would be cowardly of me to keep the news from him as long as possible?"

"Oh love!" Astoria sighed raising a palm against his cheek. Her man was braver than he gave himself credit. He'd taken responsibility for his past mistakes and tried to make amends. He even held his head high when in public despite the sneers sent in his direction. "There is nothing cowardly about wanting to protect them from your father. No good will come if you tell him what we know right now. And I fear it would just put the girl in danger. Let him at least get used to the idea that they are together. Maybe in time he'll surprise us." Astoria said soothingly while trying to keep her scepticism from her voice.

She didn't like her father-in-law but Draco loved him so she tolerated the man in their home. People often did crazy things for love and her husband was no exception to the rule. Her own family thought her insane for marrying Draco Malfoy. His whole family had been in disgrace after the war: Those who'd followed the Dark Lord wanted nothing to do with the Malfoys since they had switched sides and were out of the Dark Lord's favour before his own defeat, while everyone else despised them for the dark marks branded on their arms. Astoria had not once regretted her decision to marry him. Since that day, her life had been filled with love and he'd given her a son to be proud of. Not many from her breeding could say the same. Purebloods rarely married for love but for preservation of their bloodlines in fear they may be tainted in some way. That Lily Potter was not a Pureblood meant nothing to Astoria or her husband. They just wanted what was best for their son. When it eventually came down to it, she knew that both her and Draco would go to any length to protect the Potter girl.

Sensing his wife's thoughts Draco could honestly say that she wasn't wrong. Despite the mutual respect him and his former nemesis shared, he'd never thought he'd stick his neck out to protect one of his offspring. However, knowing what he knew, he'd not hesitate to ensure the girl's safety. Though he didn't believe his father could change, he did appreciate his wife's attempt to sooth him. "I wouldn't hold my breath if I were you." He said smirking slightly as the apparated home. Once they stood in the music room where they knew they would have their privacy, Draco's face turned solemn. "I doubt you inviting the girl and her mother on your trip will help the situation though. It will prove to father how committed our son is to her."

"What a load of old tosh." She grinned flippantly as she headed towards the grand piano. She didn't need to look over her shoulder to know that he followed. She knew he wanted an explanation to her light hearted response but she wasn't about to give it until she was comfortably seated on the piano stool and him beside her. Once they adopted the usual positions, Astoria leaned in to kiss her husband tenderly and her fingers danced over the piano keys with practised ease. "He'll assume that I'm inviting them to keep an eye on the girl. He'd expect no less and probably would have suggested it if I hadn't thought of it first." She told him over the sound of her music.

"And I am sure you'll be putting forward your argument to him in the morning over breakfast." he assumed.

Astoria sent him a devilishly wicked smile she wore whenever they conspired against his father. "Of course, darling." Draco smiled incredulously at his wife; thank Merlin that at least one of them had a way of dealing with the cantankerous man his father had turned into.

"You like the girl, don't you?" Draco asked after a moment. "And not because Scorpius loves her."

Astoria continued to fill the room with magical melodies while her gaze rested solely on Draco. Her lips curved into an affectionate smile as she nodded. "I remembered her as the young girl who bumped into us at King's Cross years ago when I met her at Teddy's wedding. She was so kind and sweet, easy to talk to. I even attempted to do some matchmaking, forcing Scorpius to talk to her, unaware of their mutual dislike at the time."

At this, Astoria frowned at her husband, who smiled sheepishly at her. "Do not think for a moment I have forgotten that small detail the both of you decided to keep from me." Draco smirked and her frown gave way to a scoff as she continued with her assessment of Lily. "I do like her, very much. She's perfect for Scorpius. Do you approve of her, love?"

Draco slipped his arm around her waist. "How could I not when I see how happy our son is. She's good for him." He sighed and pulled her body snugly to his. He nipped the soft spot on her neck and followed it by a loving kiss. Astoria shivered and the music stopped abruptly. She urged her husband's lips to hers. As they lost themselves in each other, they missed their son arriving home after walking his love home.

Lily stood in the dark kitchen since it wasn't necessary to light the torches. She knew her way around the flat in the dark therefore didn't see the need to turn any light on, since she was going to make herself something warm to drink before bed. Her darling cat, Padfoot, brushed himself against her bare calves. Her night clothes were chosen for comfort rather than being aesthetically pleasing to the eye. She wore a worn Chudley Cannons t-shirt that had once belonged to her brother James before he joined the West-Gate Winged Horses, which was long enough to end mid thigh. No one was going to see her in them so it didn't matter.

Heading back to her room Lily heard shuffling in the darkness. She froze, wishing she had her wand with her. It was the lack of wand that stopped her from shouting out to see who it was. It most likely Jaz but then what was he doing in the dark and why hadn't he shouted to warn her he was there? Panic rising, Lily let out a scream when something hard bumped into her causing her mug to shatter to the floor. A loud pop and a lot of shouting followed her scream.

Moments later Lily was pouring coffee into four mugs while flushing red when her gaze happened to flicker to one of the three gentlemen in the room. She was so embarrassed that she'd overreacted but how was she to know that Fernando had been trying to sneak back to Jaz's room without her spotting him. If she hadn't frozen in place he would have gone past her and avoided the collision.

Scorpius had appeared using the locket at the sound of her scream. He sent a flare of light up in the room. He'd certainly been an impressive sight standing there like an avenging angel. He still wore the clothes he'd been wearing for dinner but his shirt hung open. It was obvious that her signal for help had come when he was in the process of readying for bed. All Lily could do was ogle her man. She'd seen him wearing less of course, like the day at Hogwarts where she'd come across him after he'd been to the prefects bathroom and they'd shared their first kiss. She hadn't been in love with him then but recalled that in that moment in time she had clung to the belief she hated him, despite the stirrings of excitement he had caused in her; that excitement which was now growing in force as she gazed at him in her own flat, forgetting her predicament.

Seconds later Jaz had come crashing into the living room with his own wand raised. Both were ready to protect her and both were stunned to see Lily and Fernando sprawled on the floor. Their expressions quickly turned to relief as Fernando apologised to Lily and explained that he hadn't wanted to scare her with his state of undress. Lily had felt foolish for screaming ever since.

Lily handed out the drinks and cringed when she saw the look in Scorpius' eyes. He was angry but not with her. His anger was due to the two other men in the room and their clothing or lack there of. Both stood there with tousled hair, Fernando's was still damp after his shower, and each wearing a pair of patterned boxer shorts. Neither of them had thought to go and put a t-shirt on in front of Lily and that irked him. Lily hadn't really noticed their lack of clothes, since Scorpius was the one to capture her attention. She even told him so once the two men entered Jaz's bedroom carrying their drinks.

Grabbing Scorpius' arm with her free hand, Lily dragged him into her room, thinking it probably better to keep him as far away from the semi-naked males as possible. She didn't think either of them would appreciate it if Scorpius maimed one of them despite the fact that they were gay and in love with each other. She inwardly giggled that Scorpius still had small flares of jealousy, despite the obvious adoration she had only for him. Though she'd dragged him there for the protection of her friend and the man he loved, Lily couldn't help but like seeing the Slytherin in her room. It filled her with a giddiness that was difficult to hide.

"Will you stay the night?" Lily asked him before she chickened out.

Scorpius looked as if he would say no as he eyed her warily. Lily suddenly felt self conscious wishing that she'd chosen something sexier to bed. She had no idea that Scorpius would have replied with a resounding no if she had indeed worn something much more alluring, although it would have taken all his strength not to say yes. Although Scorpius thought she looked adorable in the oversized, threadbare, Quidditch t-shirt, he felt that it was within his self control to keep his hands off her for the night. So he agreed to spend the night with her, not knowing that Lily would have liked the idea of his hands on her very much.

When their drinks were finished the couple climbed into bed; Scorpius stiffening slightly when she snuggled up to him. They talked for a while as Lily tried to ease the tension from his body. Then they lay silent in the darkness. Lily's heart thudded within her chest as she waited for him to make his move. When it didn't come, Lily wondered how she should get his attention with her not being experienced in that sort of thing. She twisted her body so she almost sat peering at the spot she knew where he lay. She bit her bottom lip deep in thought. She couldn't see him well enough to try and kiss him. What if she missed and got the pillow? She'd been embarrassed enough for one day.

Instead she decided to call out his name in a gentle whisper. "Scorpius?"

Her question was met by the low deep breathing of someone in sleep. She frowned into the darkness wondering how he would react to her waking him up. From her experience with her brothers she knew men tended to be grumpy if they were woken up prematurely. She didn't take into account that it would be different if the person waking them up wasn't their relation but the woman they loved. So with a frustrated sigh Lily let her head drop to the pillow and willed sleep to claim her.

**_Thank you for reading._**

**_I don't usually write about what Lily isn't around to experience but I thought the scene between the Malfoys was needed. I hope you all agree._**


	46. C46: Pesky Paparazzi

_Thank you for reading and reviewing and a Big Thanks to Klaudia – my wonderful beta._

**Chapter 46: Pesky Paparazzi**

As Lily relaxed with her friends one late October evening, she couldn't believe how quickly the time had flown. One minute she was enjoying the end of the summer: taking trips to Rome and having picnics with Scorpius in the balmy evening air; the next she was huddled by the fire and drinking hot chocolate as the rain pelted against the windows. She sighed in contentment as she refocused her thoughts to the current topic at hand, which was Halloween and how Muggles celebrated it.

"…And you can get these green plastic fingers that you slip onto your own as well as a long crooked nose with a wart on the end." Jess explained as she continued describing some of the costumes Muggles wore over Halloween. Though even witches and wizards sometimes dressed up for the holiday, Lily secretly felt that their costumes were a lot more sophisticated and realistic than the crude ones Jess was describing. However, since they were all witches themselves, it might be possible that she was a little biased; Jess was currently explaining what Muggles wore when they dressed up as witches and the description sounded beyond ridiculous so far.

"But why do they think witches are green?" Delia curiously mused as she licked the creamy topping off her drink. "If that was the case we'd all stick out like a unicorn in a pit of flobberworms. Don't they know that we would have the magic to appear like everyone else if we were in fact cursed with ugly coloured skin?"

Both Maggie and Margarita were frowning in distaste as they listened to the conversation while Lily fiddled with the radio, trying to find a radio station that played decent music after eleven. "Stop there. I love this song." Delia added when The Twisted Toadstool's latest release began to play. Since they were still Lily's favourite band she was more than happy to oblige.

Jess levitated a marshmallow and hovered it over the fire. "They don't really believe witches exist unless you count the Wiccan's. But that's more a religion than anything else where they consider mother earth their deity. Or that's the impression I've been given. I can't say it's a subject I've researched, though I do know their magic has nothing to do with our magic."

"But why green? I think I'd rather be condemned to a lifetime disembowelling horned-toads than be stuck with green skin and warts." Maggie declared in a horrified tone and they all knew how much Maggie disliked getting her hands dirty: about as much as a Veela liked being called ugly. They got down right vicious when provoked. "You're having a laugh if you think I wouldn't zap those things off, or have myself hidden away or glamoured until they were treated. I so would not be seen looking ugly in public." Maggie said haughtily, her pureblood pride coming into play. She crossed her arms in front of her and glared at Jess, as if the Muggles' perceptions of witches was her fault.

Jess began to cower under the Gryffindor's heated glare. While they were good friends and loved each other dearly, Maggie had always easily intimidated her despite the years of friendship between them. Ironically it was Maggie's Slytherin twin that moved into her sister's line of vision to stand by in Jess' defence. "You can't take it out on Jess because she's the only Muggleborn in the room, Magdalana." Margarita scolded fiercely and Maggie quickly apologised to their friend. It always amazed Lily that once she had gotten to know Margarita better, she found her to be the less judgemental one and had an easier temperament than Maggie despite her Slytherin heritage.

Lily popped a half melted marshmallow into her mouth and savoured the gooey sweetness of it. She licked her fingers clean looking thoughtful. "I remember watching The Wizard of Oz once with Hugo and Rose when we went to visit their Muggle grandparents. It was only the evil witch that was ugly and green. The good witch was beautiful in comparison. Definitely not anywhere near your league, Mags, but beautiful all the same," Lily mused trying to placate her friend, hoping to play on the healthy dose of ego she had.

This earned her identical pointed looks from the Zabini sisters. "You do know our family right?" Margarita smirked and Lily rolled her eyes. The Zabinis were badass but the twins and their siblings had already proven that despite the pureblood pride and arrogance that still remained, they were no Death Eaters or pureblood fanatics like their ancestors. With Duanne being in love with his Muggle girlfriend, Maggie becoming a Gryffindor and falling for Harry Potter's middle child and befriending his youngest, Margarita with her close friendship with Muggleborn Jess and Dorian being a Ravenclaw who's open-mindedness and love for learning had already made him first in his year and destined for greatness without all the self-destructive ambition proved that no one should be judged by their familial ties; a person needs to have a chance to prove their worth without being condemned for something that had happened before their existence.

"But you two have more sense than to follow in their footsteps. That's why you both outshine your predecessors in both beauty and brains." Lily shot back with a smirk of her own. Maggie was satisfied at her response while Margarita chuckled at her sisters vanity. The change of topic had both Delia and Jess amused and engrossed on where the discussion was heading.

"That and we'd have to kick your arse if your loyalties started to sway." Delia joked although she knew that would never happen. She shifted into a more comfortable position and comfortably placed her feet on the coffee table in front of her.

Jess, who sat at Delia's feet with a blanket wrapped around her, chuckled. "And you wouldn't want to risk our Lily's temper." She added nodding her head in Lily's direction.

Maggie quirked her eyebrow at Lily. "Is that right Lily? Would you hunt me down and unleash your wrath if I lost my senses and turned to the dark side? Or have you gone soft due to being in love and your busy personal life?" Maggie asked jovially but the challenge flashed in her eyes.

Lily tucked her feet under her and stuck her chin out stubbornly as she played along. "Gone soft! Pfft, I'll have you know that my wrath is just as dangerous as before! You can bet your last Galleon that I won't let you off scott-free if you broke my bro's heart by turning against us. I'd hunt you down and make life very difficult. I better begin my research on how to conjure a permanent wart for your nose," Lily smirked and blew her friend a kiss.

Maggie's gaze darkened. "Oh you wouldn't!" Maggie accused and Lily wiggled her eyebrows in response. Maggie retaliated by launching into a tickling attack on Lily and the two fell around screaming with laughter as the others watched on in amusement.

Once they settled down Lily wiped the tears from her eyes and massaged her aching ribs from laughing too much. "Anyways, my temper is no where near as bad as it used to be." She pointed out proudly.

Since her friends were feeling particularly mischievous today, they didn't drop the subject. "Not as mellow as I expected since you're getting some action now." Maggie teased and looked to the other girls for support.

"Your man obviously isn't doing his job right." Delia sniggered unable to help herself. "Hugo has an interesting technique that I'm sure he'll be more than happy to share some pointers with Scorpius."

"Louis is good at giving a dose of stress relief." Jess added joining in with the ribbing though she blushed. "I'm sure he'll he happy to offer advise as well."

"Then there's always your brother. He's best friends with Scor and manages to keep my sister from wanting to go on a killing spree when she breaks a nail. But then that may be weird since I'm sure he doesn't want to know what his little sister and best friend get up to after dark. I'm certain he'd be happy to live his entire life if all you two ever did was hold hands, maybe peck each other on the cheek now and then and talk about the weather," Margarita mused.

Lily, who had clamped her hands over her ears and began making 'la la la' sounds as soon as she caught on where the conversation had headed, was unfortunately still able to hear what was being said. She was more than a little grossed out by the images of her friends and their respective boyfriends that began to flash through her mind. It didn't help that their boyfriends were all related to her in some way which made it even more gross. It also didn't help that although she and Scorpius had been together for over two months and during the past month he'd stayed the night several times, they had yet to consummate their love.

Whenever their romantic relations reached that pivotal point, the blasted Slytherin pulled away. Lily knew that he was taking things slow because he loved and respected her but there was such a thing as taking it too far. And it didn't stop her from feeling frustrated and a little hurt. She had begun to feel some sort of insecurity, ridiculous as it was. Lily knew Scorpius deeply loved her and had waited for her after their disastrous relationship at Hogwarts, but it didn't stop the feeling of inadequacy and not being old enough or sophisticated enough to tempt her man. The subject of the recent discussion brought forth all her small and silly fears, Lily had to struggle to maintain her composure.

Taking pity on her friend and catching an indecipherable but quick look in the redhead's eyes, Maggie shushed the others and pulled Lily's hands away from her ears. "Tell us about the weekend trip you've planned for Scorpius' twenty-first birthday. I know it's a special occasion and I am happy the both of you are finally together but I am a bit bitter since that means you won't be able to join our clubbing excursion in Muggle London over Halloween."

Beaming gratefully at her friend Lily enthusiastically began to discuss her plans. "Astoria is letting me use their house in Paris this weekend so I was thinking we could wander around and see the sights. I've already been to the Eiffel Tower and the Louvre and I wouldn't object to seeing either of them again but there are many other places to visit. The food is great as well; Astoria recommended a few restaurants that I didn't visit when I lived there over the summer. There's also a Muggle orchestra playing and Scorpius is into that sort of thing. I have a whole list of things to do and see but nothing is set in stone. It's a weekend for Scorpius and I'll be letting him choose what he wants to do." Lily explained and summoned the leaflets she'd collected and showed them to her friends.

They all looked them over with interest and offered their opinions of the places that they had been to see on their previous Holidays to Paris. Some places were recommended while others weren't; Lily was more than appreciative of their opinions and made notes.

"A romantic place Paris, or so I hear." Maggie stated and gave Lily a levelled look. Lily wondered whether Maggie had correctly assumed the troubles she was having with her overly chivalrous boyfriend.

"I heard that too!" Lily smiled back but made no further comment.

The girls continued enjoying themselves and their conversations went to the Halloween costumes they'd be wearing on Saturday. All were careful not to bring up the sensitive topic of how some Muggles thought witches looked like. Since they would be going out in the Muggle part of London their costumes reflected historical Muggles or characters from their own fairy tales. Margarita chose Cleopatra for her connection with the serpent that killed her, for she thought it fitting since a serpent was a symbol for the Slytherin house. Maggie had decided to go as Aphrodite with her being the goddess of love and all that. "Indulging into her vanity for a special occasion," she haughtily stated. Delia would be dressed up as Tinkerbelle to suite her playful nature from the Muggle story of 'Peter Pan' and Jess would be going as Little Red Riding Hood for no other reason than it had been a favourite story of hers as a child.

That topic inevitably lead on to the new clothing line Lily had designed after her trip to Rome with her mother and Astoria Malfoy. Their next outing would be to New York in the New Year and Dubai over Easter. The newly designed clothing all had a Autumnal/Winter feel to them now that the British summer had ended. The girls put dibs on several outfits making sure that they didn't pick the same ones.

Though Lilu's Boutique had only recently opened, the business was a roaring success. Her clothing range was in high demand and threatening to make them all very rich. With the ever growing swarm of customers, Lily and Lucy were already considering bringing on new staff since it was becoming too much for them to be on top of it on their own. Lily was already pushing her luck by taking the weekend off. Her mother and cousins Roxie and Rosie had all offered to take time out of their weekends and cover a shift each so Lily and Scorpius can spend his birthday together, knowing that it would be their first time spending it as a couple and that it meant a lot to Lily, although they weren't aware of a very specific reason why she was anxious to be alone with her man.

In the early hours of the morning there was a loud knock at the door. Lily frowned and her gaze flickered to the clock her grandparents had given her as a belated housewarming gift. The lower dial told her it was ten minutes past one while the upper dial showed that the hand with her face on it was set at 'home' and Jaz's hand was set at 'socialising' which meant he was still dancing away in some club or another. Telling her friends that she'd just be a moment, Lily headed to the door, checking the charmed mirror before opening.

The image showed her brother Al and Duanne struggling to carry something heavy but what exactly was blocked by James' amused face. There were other faces she recognised and when Thomas Warrington was about to knock on the door again, she opened it.

"What are you all doing here?" She demanded to know. She wasn't about to invite any of them in until she had an explanation. It was late and none of them had known that she had guests. For all they knew, they would be rudely waking her with their door pounding and she was not amused.

Her opening the door triggered a chorus of drunken exclamations of "Potter", "Lily" and "Flower". Lily just about managed to hide the trace of amusement creeping up on her as she watched them stagger about unsteadily. She suddenly remembered that Scorpius had been celebrating his birthday early with the guys. It was the only thing that could get the various Gryffindors and Slytherins together. Her eyes flickered to Duanne and Albus as James swayed out of the way. They weren't carrying anything after all. Lily's eyes flashed dangerously when she recognised the head of platinum hair that rolled limply on Albus' shoulder. They were in fact struggling to support a barely conscious Scorpius.

Observant eyes picking up on the direction of her gaze, Terence Goyle stepped forward. "Scorpius here had a little too much to drink." He stated gruffly. Lily's attention whirled to him. His eyes were alert enough. He had either not drank as much as the rest or his considerable size made him handle his drink better. Lily suspected the latter when the others in the group began singing some nonsense. "What did you do to him?" She demanded from Goyle but several slurred explanations from the others came forth.

By the end, Lily gathered that they had all thought it was a wise idea to get him a pint sized drink containing a shot of every alcoholic drink the last club they went to had in stock. Scorpius, who'd already been drunk, had apparently been foolish enough to drink the entire concoction and had passed out. This had resulted with him being thrown out of the club and hence the congregation outside her flat.

Not one to drink to excess after that one time in the Slytherin common room, Lily was rapidly loosing any trace of amusement. She refused to budge when her brothers, several of her cousins and Scorpius' friends asked to be allowed in. By this time the rest of the girls had gathered behind Lily to see what the commotion was and was greeted with a series of wolf whistles.

"That still doesn't explain why you've brought him here." Lily pressed, her eyes flashing dangerously again**.**

"We can't take him home to the manor in this state!" James exclaimed, horrified, as he leant against the wall for support. The whites of his eyes were red and he tried to blink the image of her into focus with little success.

"Azzy will zap us dead on sight if she catches us taking him home like this." Duanne added and the expression he wore begged her to take pity on him and allow Scorpius to crash for the night in her flat.

Ignoring the giggles behind her, Lily shook her head trying not to let his 'puppy dog' eyes affect her. She was angry that Scorpius had allowed himself to get in his current state. It was going to delay their Paris trip since he would no doubt spend most of the next day battling a hangover. They had both taken tomorrow off work so that they'd have a three day holiday instead of two. "Astoria Malfoy is a lovely and sweet woman. I'm sure she'll not harm you as long as you keep quiet." Lily said trying to keep her voice strong but she could already feel her will cracking under the pathetic-ness of Duanne's gaze.

She heard someone, probably Goyle or Warrington grumble, "You've obviously not seen her when she's on one. She can be a real harpy when she wants to."

"I don't see why one of you can't take him home." She began but instead of continuing she cracked under the pressure and huffed impatiently. "Fine. Put him on the sofa." She conceded. There was no way she was going to sleep next to him when he was that drunk so the sofa would have to do. If that meant he had extra aches to add to his hangover then it was his own damn fault.

She allowed Duanne and Albus in with Scorpius but made the others wait outside the front door. Once Scorpius was settled she turned to the other men. "Shame on you for getting him in this state and none of you having the balls to take him in." He was going to be furious with them in the morning and she knew they were all too cowardly to see him through his anger and pain. She began a long and threatening rant about what she would do to them if they ever got him drunk again and tried to pawn him off on her. Sparks were flashing from her eyes as she railed against all of them with her promise of hexing them to oblivion with curses from her Hogwarts days if they ever came to her home in their state of drunkeness again; the Slytherin men remembered those days all too well and they cringed at the memories as the fiery temper Lily was famous for was unleashed upon all of them once again.

Awhile later all but one of the men left. The Slytherins muttered darkly amongst themselves that it would have been safer taking him to the manor after all since they had forgotten how dangerous Lily was when she was angry. Lily's own relatives were complaining rather loudly about her ability to match their grandmother in making threats that left them with no choice but to behave and be in fear. The other girls also left since many of them would be at work by nine but not without Maggie promising retribution on her boyfriend and brother on ruining a girls night in with her friends because of their stupidity.

Alone in her flat Lily sent a final glare at her unsuspecting boyfriend who was still passed out on the sofa with a blanket over him. Lily stormed in to her room shutting the door behind her and cursed under her breath. She wanted to ignore the fact that she had to watch over him but she couldn't. She opened her bedroom door muttering under her breath and quickly readied for bed. Climbing under the covers she listened to Scorpius' uneven breathing. For her own sanity she needed to be able to hear him if he needed help during the night. She couldn't have him choking on his own tongue under her watch.

For the first time in a long time, Lily went to bed feeling angry.

She woke up the next morning feeling just as angry and anything but refreshed, she sipped her coffee and glared at Scorpius' sleeping form. She hardly slept during the night since her senses were constantly strained searching for signs of distress. She'd raided the potion cabinet as soon as she'd woken up. Some tonics she took for herself while she picked out two others for Scorpius. He hadn't moved during the night and was still peacefully unaware of everything that happened and was about to happen.

Lily knew the exact moment Scorpius awoke. She heard the springs of the sofa clang as he jerked awake and tried to work out where he was. As she watched him warily, she saw him clutch his head in agony and groaning.

Eyes rolling unsympathetically Lily went to stand in front of her man. "Good morning!" Lily sang cheerfully not attempting to keep the volume down.

Scorpius recognised the anger underlying her chirpiness. "I'm so sorry for whatever I did." He gritted out and it was clear the sound of each word caused his head to ache.

"Oh don't worry about that. You didn't do anything, nothing _at all,_" she stressed pointedly, "You were passed out before you even got here." She informed him in a levelled tone causing him to wince. "Now drink this," she ordered and handed him a glass of thick moss coloured liquid.

Wanting to avoid getting in any more trouble than he was obviously already in, Scorpius obeyed. Unfortunately when the vile tasting liquid hit his throat he spat it out reflexively. It was lucky that the spray managed to avoid hitting Lily. That would have made her even more angry at him. "I'm not drinking that it tastes of arse and sweaty feet," He complained.

Not amused by his childish behaviour, Lily's tone turned dangerous. "_You will_ drink that as it will help with your hangover. _You will_ then take a mild sleeping draught and _you will not_complain. _You will not_ complain because you'll be wanting to enjoy this weekend and next time we have a trip or something important planned _you will not_ try and drink yourself into a coma the night before. You were brought here to be under my care as opposed to your mother's but be assured that this is not acceptable behaviour. I am your girlfriend, Scorpius. Not your nurse. Birthday or no birthday! You have been warned."

Scorpius winced and shut his eyes as the infamous Lily Potter temper came back to haunt him; he groaned after the meaning of her words sunk in. "I hate your brothers." He muttered weakly as he vaguely remembered the moments before he had his last drink. His memory had gone blank after that.

Lily sighed, mentally kicking herself for not being able to stay angry with him. "You could have said no. You didn't have to drink the dirty pint they gave you," Lily said softly sitting down on the coffee table in front of him and drinking more of her coffee. She watched as the lines of pain began to fade from her man's face.

"It's obvious you haven't tried saying no to your brothers." Scorpius muttered dryly now that talking wasn't hurting him as much. "It's not an easy thing to do. Then Fred and Louis joined in and my other friends weren't much better. Peer pressure is not an easy thing to overcome."

Lily couldn't argue with him there. Her face softened and she leaned in to kiss his forehead trying not to wince at the lingering aroma of stale alcohol. "Take this potion now and get a couple of hours sleep in my bed. I'm going to head to Diagon Alley for a few things and then I'll finish off our packing and you should be feeling yourself again by then. I've left a clean towel in the bathroom for when you decide to have a shower."

Scorpius managed to work up a strained smile now that his hangover was easing. "Is that your way of telling me I look like death and smell like a brewery and you need to get some fresh air?"

Lily's lips twitched into a smile since his words rang true. "Don't put words in my mouth, love, although you are correct." He chuckled and winced slightly. Apparently it wasn't safe for him to laugh even softly, Lily smiled sympathetically. "I'm going to try and catch up with Roxie and give her a spare set of keys to the shop in case she arrives first in the morning. She'll be covering for me then." Lily quickly explained before she left, blowing air kisses as she closed to the door softly as he went to her bedroom, curled up in her bed and slept.

When Lily met up with Roxie she found her brothers James and Al as well as Louis there with her. They all looked a little worse for wear. After handing over her set of keys to Roxie, the five of them decided to go to the Leaky Cauldron for breakfast. The three men needed a fry up to soak up the remaining alcohol, Lily was happy to join them since she hadn't been able to stand the idea of eating with the smell of booze in her flat and Roxie was constantly hungry. Though she wasn't showing yet Roxie was the latest Weasley - Belby, to catch on to the baby fever and was three months along.

As they sat there the men apologised again for the previous night's antics and Lily let them off the hook since she had said all she wanted on the subject. Half way through the meal, Lily felt her skin crawl when she caught the gleefully malicious glint in Rita Skeeter's eyes as she zeroed in on her prey upon entering the pub. Lily immediately tensed but schooled her features into an expression of nonchalance.

"You have my sympathies, Miss Potter. You really do. Honestly, what more can one expect from a man seeking nothing but his moment in the spotlight." Skeeter crooned but her tone lacked any sincerity. The old hag's underlying happiness troubled Lily and had the rest of the table's occupants glaring at the older woman. Just what had happened to give the woman the 'kiddie got into the cookie jar' look of smug satisfaction Lily didn't know, nor was she sure she wanted to know.

"Good morning, Rita." Lily began, her voice cool and her temper just barely controlled. The old woman had picked the wrong day to mess with her. "And why is it I've earned your rarely offered and highly sought after sympathy?"

The woman's beady eyes flashed in surprise. She certainly hadn't been expecting that response. She turned towards her gangly assistant, which Lily only just noticed. He began searching through the oversized bag he wore over his shoulder while Lily felt her irritation begin to leak to the surface. She began to find it oddly ironic that the temper she was so proud of having controlled over the past few years had been so quick to be let loose on anyone that dared cross her path in a matter of hours. In some twisted way, she was anxious to let it fall upon the wretched Skeeter woman.

From her side she heard Roxie grinding her teeth due to the woman's presence. Rita Skeeter often published stories attributing Roxie's father's 'eccentricities' as she called them, to the loss of his twin before the end of their teen years. She seemed to conveniently discount the fact that her Uncle George and his late brother Fred had been trouble makers and pulling practical jokes since they were old enough to crawl. George didn't need reminding that his twin was dead every time a new invention went on sale. He lived with that loss every second of every day. Needless to say Roxie severely disliked the older woman as much as the rest of their family.

Lily gently squeezed her cousin's hand and saw the bewildered expressions worn by the men at the table. They couldn't work out what Skeeter could be on about now.

Having been handed a photograph Rita coughed to have their attention once more. "Why your break up, of course." She sneered and Lily say the infamous Quick Quill zoom out of her handbag and begin scribbling away. "It must be heartbreaking to know he has moved on already. Why this was only taken last night."

Though Lily knew Scorpius would never cheat on her she couldn't help her body's response to the accusation. Her stomach clenched unpleasantly, making her want to throw up and an overwhelming feeling of sadness filled her heart. As she sat there unable to move she heard the cries of outrage from the others asking how she dared to make up such lies. The three men had all been out with Scorpius last night and would have noticed if the man behaved atrociously. Louis viciously spat at Rita Skeeter that Scorpius' friends were also with them and she should know her facts before saying anything so degrading.

Rita looked less confident as she listened to the alibis the men were coming up with. She hadn't expected the story to be denied since she'd taken the interview just this morning and had rushed to have the article complete and published in this morning's paper. Her frown became more prominent when Lily calmly asked to see the photograph. That was not the behaviour of someone who'd recently broken off a relationship, nor was it the behaviour of someone who'd been cheated on. Since the photograph was already in the paper she felt she had no option but to show it to the girl.

With the image in hand Lily studied the it and suppressed a gasp of shock. The subject of the photograph was a young couple in an intimate embrace. Lily was horrified to see that the man's face belonged to Scorpius but her heart and her head knew it couldn't be him. The woman Lily recognised as Posie Montague from school when the woman's photographic self tore her lips away from the man's and smiled wickedly at the camera. Feeling her anger boil, Lily's first thought was that the witch was going to pay for this! Her next thought was that that it probably wasn't worth the effort. Posie would just be getting the attention she clearly wanted. Lily was better than that now - wasn't she? Frowning slightly, Lily decided she'd think about what she was or wasn't above doing at some other time. Lily turned her attention back to the man and studied him in order to prove the photo was counterfeit.

To Lily's relief the task didn't take long. The man's shoes gave him away. She waved her hand to silence the others and handed the photograph back to the annoying reporter who was struggling to keep the smug look on her face since she now suspected she'd been fooled and sensed the danger that was emanating from Lily's calm but dangerous demeanour. It was almost as if the entire pub and its occupants felt the anger coming from the youngest Potter; her brothers were watching her with awe as she reigned in her temper. They were reminded of their father and his cool exterior that belied the anger that would radiate silently, which in their opinion made the Potter men fear their father more than their own mother.

"Posie Montague is a jealous bitch who has been after Scorpius for years." Lily stated finally realising the truth of her words: Posie had always been after Scorpius. It explained so much of the girl's behaviour during school. "Since Scorpius has never wanted her and still doesn't, she has resorted to using the Polyjuice Potion to play out her fantasies. You only have to look at the shoes to know it isn't him. Scorpius would never even dream about wearing shoes made from unicorn skin. That's just sick and everyone knows Malfoy men favour footwear made from dragon-hide. It is my guess that this is Nicolas Dolahov, who probably took the Polyjuice potion to appear as Scorpius and his fashion sense has always been perverse."

Rita's eyes widened with alarm as she realised she'd falsely accused a Malfoy. Lily half wondered whether the story had already been published in the morning paper. From the grimace on the assistant's face she guessed it probably had. Lily had no sympathy to spare the duo since they had made their bed and now had to live in it.

Standing up to face off with the woman, Lily's narrowed eyes flashed gold. She would no longer tolerate the woman and her need to document her life. "I've let you get away with your lies in the past but that is now going to end. I will no longer stand for it. You will print a formal apology explaining your mistake in tomorrow's paper in a place where everyone will read it. From now on, you better have hard evidence to back up any stories you print about me, my family and the people I love. Otherwise I will sue you for slander and you will be spending every last piece of gold for your defence. I will drag your name through the mud so by the time I'm done with you no newspaper in the world would dare hire you. Do I make myself clear?"

Rita Skeeter backed away for the first time in a long time. She had clearly underestimated the redhead. Her gaze slid to the two Potters and two Weasleys flanking the Potter girl and grimaced at there expressionless faces. She had no doubt that come tomorrow the members of that family would no longer stand for her embellishments of the truth. Her readers loved reading about the family of war heroes and at times they tended to mind that it wasn't all fact. Until this point even those in the stories hadn't been too bothered by the lies and wasn't that the kicker. They were more or less oblivious to her persistence on writing about them despite that the second wizarding war had ended decades ago.

But after the prank the Montague witch had played, her money spinner was at an end. They'd be watching her closely from now on and she couldn't afford a lawsuit. Especially if the family was backed up by Malfoy gold and judging by the fact that the girl's breaking point had been about the young Malfoy heir, Rita had no doubt Harry Potter, the Chosen One, and all his family would support his youngest and only daughter. It was obvious not only to Rita Skeeter but to the occupants of the pub that this wasn't just another fling; this was a relationship that was serious enough for Lily Potter to threaten legal action against anyone who slandered her family and loved ones. Rita wisely decided that she would do as the redhead said but that Montague bitch was going to pay.

_**Thank you for reading. I'd love to hear your thoughts on my story so far.**_


	47. C47: Passionate Predicament

_Thank you for reading and reviewing and a big shout out to Klaudia (Emily swain) my beta who I dedicate this chapter to. And KaitlynEmmaRose who wanted to know how Albus and Scorpius resolved things._

_I feel I need to __**warn you **__that things get a little…heated in this chapter. However I don't think it warrants an M rating nor do I feel it's much different from the romantic scenes I've already written in this fic. I hope you enjoy._

**Chapter .**

In a slightly better mood now that she no longer had Rita Skeeter to worry about, Lily headed back to her flat with Albus as her escort. James, Louis and Roxie had gone to inform the rest of the family that the story, which Lily was horrified to find out was front page news, was actually a fake. She had already sent a quick note to Astoria explaining what had happened and her suspicions about who was behind it using the fastest owl available. They all needed to know it was all lies, especially her uncles. Neither she nor Scorpius would appreciate him being harmed for no good reason.

Lily was suddenly grateful that Scorpius had crashed at her flat in his drunken state; he was safe in her flat where none of them could enter without invitation. Since Scorpius was asleep and Jaz had stayed with Fernando last night, no one would be there to let them in.

"Can I ask you something?" Lily asked her brother while they walked back to her flat, taking advantage that they were alone.

"You can always ask me anything, Lils. You may not get an answer, but you can always ask." Albus teased and ruffled her hair affectionately. This earned him a smile from his only sister.

"You and Scorpius seem to be back to normal now. Don't get me wrong, I'm not complaining. I love that all is well between the two of you. I was just wondering what it was that had you forgiving us for our secrecy and accepting our relationship." Lily asked placing a hand on his arm.

Albus laughed at the thoughtful expression on her face that she'd been unable to hide. "I know that you've been stewing over that for a while now; it's a wonder you kept it to yourself for so long. After seeing you with that Skeeter woman earlier, I'm surprised you didn't demand answers from me a month ago after you came to see Scorpius and I at the Ministry."

Lily had enough grace to blush. "I didn't want to interfere since I felt it was between you and Scorpius. My curiosity has just gotten the better of me it seems."

Albus draped his arm over her shoulder as they walked side by side. "It's not a problem, Lils. You shouldn't ever feel as if you can't ask me anything or come to me if you have something on your mind." He informed her and leaned in to kiss the top of her head since he was so much taller than her. "If I'm being honest, there are a number of reasons why I managed to drill some sense into my brain. One being that Scorpius can be relentless when he wants to be. As I tried to be mad at him for going after you, he made it ruddy difficult. He kept arguing that there had been enough hostility between us during Hogwarts to last us a lifetime. It probably also helped that I agreed with him there." He added with a wink for Lily's benefit.

"You said there was more."

He shrugged his shoulder slightly and continued. "Well with me agreeing that we have been at odds enough in the past I started to feel guilty about being mad at him. But you know how stubborn us Potters can be,especially with Weasley blood in us as well. I tried to hold my stand but my will was wavering. James kept nagging at me to give him a chance so I tried to be cool with it. But you're still my little sister and it's difficult to see that you've grown up. Then Maggie started badgering me and reminded me that the two of you were the same age. Naturally that messed with my head a bit but she was always there for me when my brain decided to short circuit."

"She is amazing." Lily agreed feeling a wave of gratitude towards her best friend and James. Neither of them had told her they were trying to help Albus come to terms with things.

Albus nodded and continued. "So I started taking baby steps. But then that incident with Lucius Malfoy happened and there was everything he did to secure and protect your flat. He had to pull a lot of strings on the spare of the moment to make sure you're always safe there. How can I find fault in that. No brother could. You deserve the best in life and Scorpius can offer you that," he told her, his emerald eyes intense when he looked down at her. "He's a good man and I see how happy he makes you. Your happiness has always been important to me and I know I've been insufferable at times with my protectiveness of you. But that's never going to change, little sis. Even when we're old and grey I'm going to be kicking the arse of anyone who tries to hurt you."

"More likely whacking people with your walking stick." Lily laughed.

He acknowledged that that would be more likely and continued. "And then there is also the fact that although I was being a total arse towards him, he saved me when my own stubbornness and pride got the better of me. Knox Drumshaw would have done a lot more than give me a black eye if he had the chance." He sighed and Lily recalled that Knox Drumshaw had given her brother a hard time the day she and Maggie brought Scorpius and Albus lunch at work. "Scorpius had warned me that he was more dangerous than he seemed and I really should have known that. But I was angry and overconfident and I messed up. He broke free of his restraints and I would have had my arse handed to me on a plate if Scorpius hadn't been passing at the time and intervened. He's quite handy in a fight when wands aren't involved. I never knew he was that good and it made me realise that Scorpius could have done a lot of damage to me that night of your flat party if he had wanted to. I guess knowing that he'd only defended himself was the icing on the cake. I finally stopped being angry."

"He never told me that." Lily admitted, stopping to wrap her arms around him.

He returned her hug and when they looked up they realised they were standing outside LiLu's Boutique. They could see Maggie and Delia dealing with the customers through the large glass windows. Albus stuffed his hands in his pockets and watched his sister's eyes fill with pride as she saw the success her business was turning into. He waited until he had her attention before he spoke again, though there was some awkwardness about him. "I'm glad you are happy, Lils. You both deserve to be and I can think of no other man who is worthy of your affection as Scorpius is." He blushed. "And if you repeat how sappy I've just been to anyone, I may just have to...well let's just say I wont be happy with you. Ok?" he warned since he was unable to threaten her into keeping quiet.

Smiling her Cheshire cat grin, Lily leaned upwards to kiss his cheek. "Thank you for caring Al, but I thank you more for your blessing. You don't have to worry. Your secrets are safe with me."

He smiled back with a hint of redness staining his cheeks and shrugged. "I suppose I better get myself to work now. My shift starts at eleven which is in five minutes." He said checking his watch. "I love you Lils." he added and kissed the top of her head once more.

"Love you too bro." Lily replied and waved until he apparated out of sight.

Entering the flat Lily was surprised to see it was spotless. All the windows were open and a pleasant citric aroma floated in the air. She heard the shower running and when she entered her bedroom she found it as spotless as the rest of the house.

A smile forming Lily's eyes searched for the one responsible for her freshly cleaned flat pausing only when she spotted the young House Elf. "Minky is finished here Miss Lily." Minky nodded with pride once she finished straightening the bed linen. "Master Malfoy is up and having a well needed shower in Minky's opinion." She said, the words slipping out before she had chance to stop them. Her bulbous eyes widened in alarm when she registered the insult to her mistress' friend. Although the insult was mild it was just not done. A series of punishments flashed through her mind and she wondered which one her lapse in judgement had earned.

Lily surprised the elf by smiling back. "I totally agree with you there." Lily said with an unexpected wink. "Disgraceful behaviour getting that drunk but it was for his birthday so I guess we'll both have to make allowances and forgive him for it," she chuckled merrily and Minky just nodded since she didn't know what else to say. Lily was often treating her more like a friend than an employee. Even in this day in age where House Elves were not treated as servants, it was rare to be treated as an equal by witches or wizards. The Potters' reputations for their kindness was well deserved.

"Minky will head downstairs now for the rest of the day and see what is needed doing there," the stunned House Elf managed to say before she disappeared with a loud crack.

Smiling long after the House Elf left, Lily busied herself making a note to stick on the front door informing any visitors she may have that the article in the Daily Prophet was purely fabricated. She also mentioned that it would be confirmed in tomorrow's paper since for the first time ever, she trusted Rita Skeeter's word. From the look of the pile of letters that had been stacked neatly on the table, Lily was in no doubt that the public had already started to respond. She pulled out her four-way mirror she shared with her friends and sent a message to Jess explaining everything. She also popped into the shop downstairs to fill in Delia and the twins in case any remarks were made by the customers. Lily ended up having to convince Maggie not to go and hunt Posie down there and then.

Scorpius was still in the bathroom when Lily got back to the flat. She half wondered whether he'd fallen asleep in there. Just before she began to worry she heard him humming away merrily to some classical tune. He was clearly in a good mood and unaware of the accusations flying around. Lily knew she'd have to warn him soon and she wasn't looking forward to that. To distract herself, Lily finished off packing for their weekend while she waited for him to surface. It was a good job they'd be flooing to Paris and no reservations had been made at any dining establishment since they were slightly behind in schedule.

Lily heard the bathroom door open and she decided now was as good a time as any to warn him about Posie's prank. As soon as she saw him, however, the words that were on the tip of her tongue were forgotten. Eye's widening, Lily felt as if she'd suffered synchronised blows to the head and gut as a raw emotion she identified as lust burned within her. He hadn't noticed her yet and Lily had to remind herself to breathe as she stared.

Scorpius stood with a fluffy white towel wrapped around his waist with pearl drops of water adorning the mass of bare flesh he unwittingly revealed to her. Lily was hit with the memory of the time she had literally ran into him while he had been walking from the prefects bathroom, of how he looked disturbingly appealing even then, but this was taking it to an entirely different level. She remembered as if it was yesterday on how body responded then, how she couldn't take her eyes off him, and how much her fifteen year old self had wanted him, so much. She remembered their first kiss; suddenly she had to remember how to breathe and bring herself to the present, the highly appealing present.

Over two years had passed since then. The older Scorpius was definitely more defined and Lily mused that it shouldn't be legal for men to look that good. How on earth was she expected to function after seeing such perfection. His shoulders were broader than they had been but his toned chest was still free of hairs. There was only a light scattering of light blonde hairs starting below his belly button and trailing downwards beneath the waist line of the towel.

Somewhere in Lily's mind she knew she shouldn't stare. That it was unfair and rude because he had no idea she was watching him. But how could she not? She was only human after all. Slowly her gaze lifted upwards and she saw him lazily drying his moistened locks with a second towel - draping it around his neck like a scarf once he was done. Lily wanted to reach for each end of the towel and use it as a way of pulling him down so that she could have access to his lips. Lips she so wanted to be kissing right now...

She must have made some sort of sound because his head snapped in her direction and his eyes locked with hers as they both froze in place. Lily unconsciously licked her lips and his foggy eyes visibly darkened. "If you keep looking at me like that I'll be carrying you to the bedroom and you can forget about the trip you have planned." He half whispered, half groaned, without realising he'd said the words aloud.

Lily gasped, taking in a sharp intake of air. "You want me?" She asked knowing her tone seemed incredulous. Of course she knew he loved her emotionally and all that, but he'd always been careful to hide the true extent of his desire from her. Sometimes he treated her like the delicate flower she was named for and that always frustrated her. What amazed her was that a blazing look that was apparently present in her eyes was what made him snap. If she had known that, she would have found a way to show him how much she wanted him physically.

Scorpius strode towards her full of purpose. One muscular arm wrapped around her waist forcing her body closer towards his. His other hand captured her wrist and moved to hold her open palm against his bare chest - right above his heart. The intoxicating scent coming from his skin consumed her as she closed her eyes, relishing the feel of his arms and his addicting scent; peppermint, sandalwood, bergamot and something else that was distinctly Scorpius. Her eyes opened, focusing on the tiny droplets of water clinging to his skin. Beneath her fingertips she could feel the accelerated pounding of his heart. "How can you even think for a moment that I don't want you?" he asked in a husky tone that had her own heart thrumming at a quickened pace. "Every time I see you, even if it's just a quick glimpse of you, my heart races."

Quickly becoming light-headed, Lily leaned her forehead against his chest. His skin seemed cool against hers and she laid her cheek against him, cooling her flushed face. His muscles twitched underneath the caress of her breath and he released a muffled groan as he nuzzled her hair. He released his grip on her wrist and wrapped that arm around her.

"But you've stayed over a few times now and you refuse to touch me." Lily sighed feeling slightly embarrassed but knowing there was no need to be. Since he was Scorpius and she was Lily, they were made for each other. There was no need for either of them to feel uncomfortable when they were together. With a delicate finger she began tracing the water tracks along his shoulders. His muscles jerked under her touch and she heard his breathing grow louder and raspier.

"You're angry at me?" He asked trying not to be distracted by what her hands were making him feel. They had an almost worshipful feel about then as they caressed him and it was taking all of his will power to continue what he needed to say. "I wasn't sure you were ready and I didn't want to pressure you into anything. That's why I've been keeping my hands off you during the night."

Lily smiled happily at the admission as she continued to trail her finger over his skin. The temptation to find out whether his skin tasted as enticing as it smelt becoming too much for her to handle, she licked a single water droplet but jerked back when the noise in his throat sounded painful. The last thing she wanted to do was hurt him. Eyes raising to seek his, Lily was relieved to see him smiling at her, his eyes clouded over with desire and adoration.

Head rolling forward to recover from the panic of thinking she'd hurt him, she leaned her forehead against his chest. Due to their height difference he rest his chin comfortably on the top of her head, his eyes closed as he waited for her to respond. "I'm not angry or frustrated with you about that anymore but I have to say that it was a silly thing for you to do." She murmured against his skin and she felt his arms tighten around her. She shifted in his embrace and he instinctively loosened his grip on her so she could move to a position where she looked up at him.

She saw his lips twitch into a brief smile. "I'm starting to see that now." He replied somewhat dryly.

Hooking a hand on each of his shoulders for balance, Lily made herself as tall as she could. Her warm clothing were the only barrier between them. Her lips hovered just below his. "Then kiss me and don't pull away from me this time," she ordered in a husky whisper.

His obedient kiss was only brief as he tugged at her bottom lip. He then began to nuzzle her jaw line and her eyed rolled back with pleasure. "What about Paris?" He questioned quietly, his lips brushing the lobe of her ear which was sending a delicious shiver through her body.

Hands searching to frame his face, Lily gazed into the depths of his wintry eyes that were ablaze with emotion. For a few blissful moments she'd forgotten about the trip she had planned and she was beginning to wonder if going there was actually important right now. Paris may be one of the most romantic cities in the world but her little flat in London had all she wanted at the moment. Paris could wait - this, she didn't want to delay any longer. Biting down on her bottom lips, Lily brought his mouth back to her level. With their lips connected with the lightest touch Lily formed the words,

"Screw Paris. All I want is you."

His lips were moving against hers in an instant: tortuously slow and gentle one moment then unrestrained and hungry the next. Lily couldn't decide which type she preferred - both were equally satisfying and tantalizingly pleasant.

Then his mouth released hers and began exploring the soft spot of the throat and jaw. Her fingers dug into the muscles of his back as she held on to him. When his tongue teasingly flicked her earlobe she groaned and her body quivered against him. He needed no more encouragement. He edged her backwards, his hands moving to her waist as he lifted her easily so she sat on edge of the sideboard.

Trailing his hands over her jean-clad legs, he nudged them apart and moved between them. His lips returned to hers before she had time to think. As her own hands roamed the contours of his body, memorising every inch of it, his fingers fumbled with the hem of her top, lifting it to reveal a small section of her abdomen. Suddenly his lips released hers and all Lily could do was watch in dazed wonder as he bent down and kissed the skin he'd set free. His tongue swept over her skin and a startled gasp escaped her lips as her eyes flared. His mouth was so hot as he tasted her and all Lily could do was gasp at the heat they generated. She allowed her head to fall back against the wall behind them. No wonder he'd sounded in pain when she'd done something similar to him. Lily dug her hands in his still damp hair and wondered why they hadn't burst into flames yet.

His hands were agonisingly slow as he peeled back more and more of her jumper and gifted each area of exposed skin with the treatment of his talented tongue. He continued with this inch by inch. The only time his lips were absent from her skin was when he has lifting her top over her head. With her top discarded to the floor she saw his eyes briefly sweep over the new sight of her. The tender look in his eyes almost made her weep before their lips met once more. With the absence of her top which acted as a barrier between them the friction of skin on skin made the heat between the heighten if that was even possible. "Wrap your legs around me." Scorpius croaked out and Lily She looked into his eyes and found herself lost in the moment, forgetting his request for the briefest of seconds. It was everything and more than she had anticipated; as she wrapped herself around him she explored every inch of his skin again with her.

With her legs wrapped around his hips and her arms secured around his neck, he lifted her into the air. He carried her towards her bedroom finally stopping at the end of the bed. "Are you certain about this?" He was reluctant to ask, giving her a final chance to end this. Lily knew she should probably feel some sort of fear at the idea of where this was leading. That there would be no taking it back once it had happened. But she found the fear impossible to conjure up. This was precisely what she wanted and not because it was the only way to dull the aching need that burned inside her as fiercely as she knew it burned in him. But because it felt so natural and right. Her answer was to pull his lips back to hers and she knew that after sharing her bed with him this time, she wouldn't be left feeling frustrated.

It was still light when the two surfaced from her room where they'd spent the last few hours worshiping and loving each other. Granted, some of that time had been spent dozing in each others arms but that was besides the point. It was their mutual hunger for sustenance that had them leaving her room in the first place. As soon as Scorpius had heard her stomach rumble he had handed her her oversized Weasley jumper to wear and scooped her up in his arms. Wearing only a pair of boxers he'd carried her through to the kitchen and sat her on the countertop.

He was currently raiding the fridge for anything quick and easy for them to eat. Every few seconds he'd become distracted and would return to her side to lovingly kiss her lips or her shoulder since her jumper's neckline was stretched, exposing her beautiful skin. Lily also found herself unable to refrain from touching him. Her hands would reach out to brush against him but if he was slightly out of reach she would nudge him with her toes.

It was as if she'd tasted the forbidden fruit. Before she'd discovered how amazing their joining would be she had been able to focus her mind on her work, her family and friends and life in general before the thought drifted back to her man. Now she knew how amazing they could make each other feel she didn't believe a normal life would ever be possible again. She now believed she was destined to pine after him whenever they were apart and be blissfully happy as soon as he was near. She wondered if it was like that for everyone and she suddenly had the greatest respect for all the couples she knew if it was.

"How do people ever get anything done?" Lily complained slipping off the countertop after she decided he'd been out of reach too long and hurried over to plant a lingering kiss on his lips.

"Practice is my guess." Scorpius chuckled before he deepened the kiss and she melted against him. Lily had no doubt he would have carried her back into her room there and then if her traitorous stomach hadn't rumbled.

He pulled away and continued his food gathering as Lily frowned at her body's weakness. It had no right to demand being fed. It should be able to run off love alone since she had an endless supply of that.

"But does it get easier? Will I get used to this feeling and one day be able to get through the day without wanting you every second of it." She asked since she assumed he was more experienced about this sort of thing.

His lips twitched with amusement as he raided her cupboards. "I wouldn't know. I guess that's another thing we'll find out together."

Stunned into silence by the insinuation Lily could only blink at him. When he looked over his shoulder to confirm she caught the meaning of his words, Lily felt incredibly blessed that he'd had enough faith to wait for her even when it looked like there had been no hope for them. Without hesitation the two began an intensely passionate kiss that by rights should have caused their skin to steam.

Making an effort to grab the high energy snack bar Scorpius had pulled out, they fumbled their way back to her room, only to jerk apart when the front door slammed.

Jaz stood there, a fireball of fury that was only beginning to fade. He clutched a crumpled copy of the Daily Prophet in one hand and the note she'd put on the front door in the other. "I saw this…wanted to kill…and now I find…all a mistake…and you two…" Jaz stammered as he was unable to finish each sentence.

Lily winced when she realised she'd forgotten to send word to Jaz to explain that the Daily Prophet had lied. She was ready to apologise but then Scorpius noticed the Daily Prophet and snatched it from Jaz's hands, looking at it with horror. "I don't know what this is but it's not me I swear." Scorpius began, begging for her to believe her.

Remembering how she'd been distracted from warning him earlier, Lily brushed her hair about of her face and grimaced. "Yeah I was going to tell you about that when-" she paused remembering that Jaz was also there and blushed fiercely. She turned around and headed to the sofa and waved for the men to join her. She then went on to tell them about her early morning meeting with Rita Skeeter. After giving both men details of the confrontation, Jaz gave her a high five for sticking it to the old hag, which he told Lily. Scorpius, was also impressed by he way of handling things which he knew would come in handy when his Grandparents eventually figured out that Lily wasn't going anywhere.

Both Lily and Scorpius decided to forgo their trip to Paris and chose to barricade themselves in Lily's flat for the weekend. This had amused Jaz, who decided he'd spend his weekend with Fernando to give the couple privacy despite the silencing charm they cast on her bedroom. Now that he knew Scorpius hadn't cheated on Jaz's favourite girl he was no longer after blood. There was no way he was going to hang around and feel like a third wheel. Besides he had a man of his own to keep entertained.

When the clock struck twelve that night chiming in the new day, Lily carried a pile of presents over to Scorpius where he sat lounging on the sofa he'd slept the night before. "Happy birthday, Scorpius. They're not all from me. Most of them are from my family but they gave them to me since we were going to be in Paris for today." Lily explained when she dropped them into his lap. "I thought you would want to open them now, since we are here after all. How about we keep this to ourselves for the weekend so no one interrupts us?" She winked at him and kissed him as she handed him his gifts.

"Sounds like a plan," Scorpius replied while holding Lily close to him as he began to open his gifts. She watched him open each parcel one by one and discarded the wrapping paper in the waste basket Lily had placed beside him. Afterwards, Scorpius was now the proud owner of several exclusive Weasley Wizard Wheezes' products, a watch that every male in the family was presented with, his very own emerald green Weasley jumper which Grandma Weasley had decided he needed to introduce some colour to his wardrobe and some quidditch memorabilia. From Lily he got a guitar signed by a Wizard musician she'd found out he liked, a few pieces to make his desk at work more homely and lastly a clock hand that actually went with the clock that hung on the wall of her flat but it had his face on it.

Upon opening the last gift Scorpius was at a loss for words. The knowledge that he could now call her flat as home meant more to him than any of the other gifts he'd received. "Thank you, my love." He managed to utter, his voice so thick with emotion that he almost choked. Delighted that he loved his present, Lily allowed him to pull her into his lap where she remained as they wrapped their arms around each other both feeling thankful and blessed that they had the other in their lives again. This time, they both knew, they would make it work and last, no matter what.

**Thanks for reading! I know it was cheesey in places but with all the work I've been doing lately I needed cheese! **

**I tried to wait a bit to release this chapter but I got impatient. Unfortunatelly that means that there will be a wait for the next one since I have exams and uni assignments to do over the next 4 weeks. **

**I really hope you enjoyed reading it and I'd really like to hear what you think.**


	48. C48: A Very Weasley Christmas

_Sorry this took so long. I've been really busy with university commitments. _

_Thank you for reading and reviewing._

**Chapter 48: A Very Weasley Christmas.**

Old Taffy had worked for the Malfoy family for the last twenty five years. During that time, she'd warmed to every member of the family except one. Yes, Mistress Narcissa was a little frosty around the edges at the best of times, but it was her husband Lucius that was such an unlikeable human. Not that Taffy would dare admit that out loud. She was an old House Elf and stuck to the old traditions engrained from her youth. Such behaviour was not acceptable, although it hadn't stopped the younger generation of House Elves from complaining amongst themselves. They were too young to clearly remember a time when a single negative thought about their master and family meant punishment. Her grandson Toffy was such an Elf. He was a peculiar young male with all his new-age thinking, but Taffy was fond of him all the same. Toffy was constantly opening his mouth without thinking and landing himself in too much trouble from the elder Malfoy than he could handle. That was why Taffy ensured her grandson was busy in the kitchen or laundry if a certain member of the family was in a particularly unpleasant mood.

Today was such a day. Toffy was tucked away doing the family's laundry whilst Taffy had taken his place serving Master Lucius for the evening. Then again, Taffy would say the Master's mood was more unreadable than unpleasant. It was her opinion that was what made him more unpredictable. Taffy crept forward, keeping her poise, and placed the mug of warmed mead on the desk that Mistress Narcissa had ordered brought to him. Sneaking a quick glance at her master, Taffy saw that despite the fact his body seemed as frail and worn as hers, his cold and scheming eyes were just as sharp as they had been when she'd first met him. She'd definitely been correct in banishing her grandson elsewhere. It wouldn't do for him to be anywhere near the elders' wing of the manor.

With her task complete, Taffy shrank back to the shadows, hoping to leave unnoticed.

Lucius Malfoy reached for his drink with a withered hand once the timid House Elf had scampered away. Why his son, daughter-in-law and grandson thought to befriend the House Elves was beyond him. He'd learned long ago that they were disloyal and disobedient creatures. The fact that he still didn't acknowledge that his treatment of the House Elf Dobby had any part to play in how he was able to go against his nature and betray the family he served, just proved how little he'd changed over the years. He took a quick sip of his drink before returning his attention to the paperwork laid out on his desk in an orderly fashion. Looking over the state of the family's finances calmed him and after the conversation with his son, he had more than one reason to look over the charts.

Draco had just informed him that Scorpius would be spending Christmas with the Potter girl at that pitiful excuse for a house the Weasleys lived in. Though he wasn't particularly close to his grandson, Scorpius had never caused him any concern.

That was until the little red-haired seductress came along.

To think she believed she deserved the attentions of someone with such exemplary, unpolluted blood, as a Malfoy. The dim-witted, presumptuous teenager was not worthy of the connection. So much so that the girl should be beneath his notice, Lucius reminded himself. But that hadn't prevented him from trying to ignite her temper in order to give Scorpius a way out of the relationship. Unfortunately that hadn't worked. He'd been misinformed about the girl's temperament. Apparently it wasn't as quick to erupt as was rumoured. The girl was supposed to see the article he had commissioned and fly into a rage; she was not supposed to be logical and discover it was a fake. He hadn't tried anything else since that plan had backfired, since he was still dealing with the repercussions. He'd had to pay the Montague girl enough gold so that she could flee the country to avoid the public backlash from the newspaper article. He didn't particularly believe she deserved his help anyway, since the girl had been careless enough to get caught in a lie.

Unfortunately for him, she could connect him to the whole fiasco and he couldn't have that. He'd made sure that she couldn't use the information to blackmail him again though. He'd insisted on her making the unbreakable vow when he had handed over the sack-full of galleons. He could have dealt with her differently of course, but her blood is pure and there was precious few Purebloods around now. He would not take part in reducing their numbers further.

Although he was constantly assured that the relationship was just a fling in an effort to gain popularity, the rest of the magical community didn't believe so. He of course didn't need his son's assurances; a Malfoy could never love a Potter no matter how enticing she was. It was just a fact. After the article and the accompanying apology, people now believed that the young couple were truly in love. This latest act of his grandson spending Christmas with her, was to futher substantiate the idea that there was more than what was truely going on.

Lucius' face wrinkled with irritation when he thought about his grandson's relationship, but reminded himself of the advantages his son had brought to his attention. Lucius was currently checking to confirm the boon Draco had mentioned that had arisen form the Malfoy-Potter connection. He was begrudgingly surprised and impressed to discover that his son was correct. The family's wealth accumulated from their various businesses has taken a rapid increase due to the fact that people were more trusting of the family. It couldn't be a coincidence that the more than doubled profits coincided with the apology in the Daily Prophet. He would have preferred to invest the gold wisely and watch it grow, but his daughter-in-law was determined to spend it. Astoria was now jabbering on about hosting a fundraising ball here at the Manor but Lucius would deal with his daughter-in-law some other time. She was trying to schedule her plans for next summer so he had plenty of time to talk her out of it.

It was unfortunate that it had taken the connection with the silly little Lily Potter for this to happen. Not that she being a Potter was what really bothered him. Of course he would dislike her on principle, because of her Mudblood grandmother. He would have also disliked her on principle as a result of all the trouble her father gave him prior to the war, that was if he hadn't been the only reason his family wasn't rotting in Azkaban right now. There was no knowing what would have happened to the Malfoy family after the dark lord's downfall if they hadn't had Harry Potter to speak up for them. In Lucius' mind, that made them even. Nowadays, he had neither positive nor negative feelings towards Harry Potter, only indifference.

It was more the Weasley genes that rubbed him raw. The Malfoy name was now associated with the Muggle-loving, pathetic excuse for a Pureblood wizard: Arthur Weasley. That was what had him itching for his wand and taking care Lily Potter the old fashioned way. It was his greed and reluctance to return to Azkaban that stayed his hand. The dratted girl had too many ministry connections, so there was no way they wouldn't be pounding at his door if anything should happen to her.

Lucius began massaging his temples to sooth the massive headache his thoughts had suddenly given him. He'd decided what he was going to do with the Potter girl. For the time being, he was going to ignore the fact that she was making his grandson look foolish. He could ignore the sneers of his peers with smug satisfaction of knowing that the girl was a goldmine. Many respectable Purebloods had stooped to lower levels for financial gain. Scorpius wasn't marrying anyone who had questionable sanity after all - he wasn't marrying anyone. When Lucius agreed that an association with her was no longer to their advantage, that was when he would act. There was no way of knowing how long that would be. He'd come up with another plan, one that had fewer chances of going wrong. He now knew he couldn't trust the observations of others or their help. He'd do it all himself.

In the early hours of the morning Lily lay awake. A single small candle gave off enough light to illuminate the room with a soft glow. She was on her side in bed, lazily watching Scorpius sleep since she seemed incapable of the task at present. Though the room was not the same as the one she'd grown up sharing with Rose and Lucy over Christmas, it occupied the same space. Their old room now consisted of three large cupboards. Each were magically enhanced so that they were much larger on the inside than the outside, not unlike wizard's tents. The same had been done for each of Molly and Arthur's children, grandchildren and their families. That way they could all sleep comfortably when they visited. It wasn't uncommon for them to hear their uncle Ron complain that his parents should have done it years ago when he was growing up.

Scorpius made a small noise in his sleep and Lily couldn't resist leaning to place a butterfly kiss on his cheekbone. His nose wrinkled endearingly and a smile tugged at Lily's lips as he continued to sleep. Untucking her arm from the confines of the duvet, Lily's eyes twinkled mischievously in the candle light. Slowly and carefully she traced the contours of his cheek, which was rough as his night stubble had started to grow. Still asleep, Scorpius batted away her hand and Lily had to stifle a giggle.

Her hand was clamped over her mouth when Scorpius opened one eye and peeked at her. She hadn't meant to wake him with her playfulness and was about to make a whispered apology when his eye closed. Making a sleepy sound in his throat he rubbed his cheek against the softness of the pillow. He appeared to drift off to sleep and Lily almost thought she'd gotten away with it.

"It's late." Lily was shocked to hear him mumble.

"I'm sorry I woke you, love; go back to sleep." Lily whispered back as she caressed his cheek, lovingly stroking his hair from his face.

Without warning, Scorpius captured her wrist and rolled onto his back bringing her with him. Lily let out a half shriek and half laugh as she found herself straddling his hips. Hands slipping under his pajama top, Lily bent over him. Her hair cascading over her shoulder, she leaned closer to give him a lingering kiss.

Raising his head off the pillow, Scorpius released the hold on her wrist and delved his hands in her hair, keeping her lips to his. Their bodies began to react immediately: temperatures rising, heart rate quickening. Before either of them could properly deepen their kiss, they were interrupted by a scrambling noise just outside the room.

Scorpius softly threw himself on his back on the bed with a muffled, frustrated growl. A small thud sounded from the hallway and Lily frowned with her head turned towards the door. It was almost four in the morning and everyone had called it a night due to their early start.

"I'll just go check on that." Lily sighed with resignation as she clambered off the bed and shrugged on her dressing gown. Scorpius sat up in bed and cast a lumos spell so that he could watch Lily as she headed to the door.

Creaking the door open just a crack, Lily peeked to see what was making the noise. From the dim light in the landing that was always glowing, Lily could see her goddaughter scrambling across the floor chasing a chocolate frog. She looked so adorable in her red reindeer print pajamas. Her hair was its natural shade of blonde but had red and green streaks in it in preparation for Christmas. Though what she was doing up at this time was anyone's guess.

Lily wondered where Teddy and Victoire were and if they knew their eldest was out of bed. The couple were finding it a lot more difficult raising three children than two. Remy was crawling, Aimee was steady on her feet; they were constantly wandering off and causing mischief. Their youngest daughter, Elaina, was far more demanding than the other two had been as newborns. She was constantly fussing and Lily wondered whether Aimee had taken advantage of her parent's distraction and run off to play. "It's Aimee. I'll just be a moment." Lily explained and he nodded for her to go.

Opening the door further Lily poked her head through the crack. "What are you doing up at this time, sweetheart? You need to be fast asleep so Father Christmas can visit and bring you lots of presents." Lily called out quietly.

Aimee stopped chasing the chocolate frog around upon hearing her Aunty Lily's voice and it hopped out of sight. Flopping back into a seated position, Aimee looked up through eyes vastly intelligent for a child five months past their second birthday. "That's what Daddy said." Aimee pouted as she fumbled over the words.

Leaving her room Lily sat cross-legged beside the toddler. "Then why aren't you in bed sleeping?" She asked gently. She was close enough to see how tired the little girl looked. It was a wonder she wasn't curled up on the floor fast asleep. Aimee reached out for her and Lily allowed her goddaughter to climb into her lap.

Snuggling close up to her godmother, Aimee twisted into a more comfortable position and settled there. Her lack of sleep was immediately catching up on her. "Ellie cr-cr-crying!" Aimee yawned and Lily hugged her close. "Remy too."

"But we should still go and find your mummy or daddy. They'll be worried that you are not in bed and we don't want that." Lily said and began to rise. At that moment, she suddenly heard Teddy calling out for his daughter from down the stairs.

"She's up here." Lily called back to him making sure she didn't wake anyone else but so that he heard her.

An exhausted looking Teddy soon appeared in front of her, holding his son in one arm. Remy was looking particularly grumpy and not in the mood for sleep. "What did daddy tell you about climbing the stairs?" He scolded his eldest daughter, but there was a hint of relief in his tone knowing that Aimee hadn't injured herself.

Aimee lifted up her head upon hearing her dad's question. "Sorry, Daddy." She pouted and lay her head against Lily's shoulder with exhaustion.

"Aimee was saying that she couldn't sleep because Ellie and Remy were fussing. Maybe you could put a selective muffling charm around her cot so the babies don't wake her." Lily suggested and Teddy agreed. "Where's Vic?" Lily asked as she carefully got to her feet with the toddler still in her arms.

"She's downstairs feeding Elaina. Domi's with her as well, feeding Charlette." Teddy explained as Remy fidgeted in his arms. With his free arm he stroked Aimee's hair as she dozed. "It's so difficult trying to keep an eye on them all. You turn your back for a second and you can bet either Aimee or this one has wondered off somewhere. I don't know how Grandma Weasley did it, managing to raise seven kids. I think we're done with three."

Teddy and Lily talked briefly before Teddy made a move to get the toddlers to bed. Aimee began to stir when Lily tried to pass her to her brother. Upon realising that she was going to be taken back to the nursery she shared with her noisy brother and sister, Aimee grabbed the fabric of Lily's dressing gown. "No! Don't want too!" she protested softly. Teddy tried to coerce her to come with him,

"It's ok, sweetheart. I promise to make sure Ellie won't wake you with her crying." Teddy promised his daughter.

Aimee listened thoughtfully and then nodded. "Ok, Daddy." She replied and followed it with a yawn. Lily passed the little girl over to her brother and let go once he had her securely tucked in his arm. Aimee fell asleep immediately. Teddy descended the stairs to put his little ones in bed, and cast a spell around their cots so that neither would be woken by any of their siblings' cries. He then went to join his wife down in the kitchen.

Lily turned around as soon as her eldest brother had left. She wasn't surprised to see Scorpius waiting for her. He leaned against the doorframe with an intense look blazing in his eyes. He showed no signs of being recently woken as he held his arm out for her to join him. "Now where were we?" He asked huskily; her desire began to stir from within. With a sensual smile on her lips, Lily found her way into Scorpius' arms and the privacy of their room.

Christmas morning was hectic: there was no other word for it. Despite the renovations to expand the Burrow, the house was just not big enough for the rapidly growing family. There was a lot of laughter and chaos as presents were passed around and food was served. Lily found Scorpius standing outside in the snow looking back towards the house. Wrapping her cloak more tightly around her, she handed Scorpius the one she'd brought out for him. He shrugged it on grateful for the warmth before wrapping his arms around Lily. He rested his cheek against the top of her head.

"It's a bit overwhelming at first, but you'll get used to it." Lily assured him as she nestled into his embrace. She doubted Scorpius had ever had a Christmas where more than nine people gathered in the same house, never mind the same room. In fact she doubted he'd spent a Christmas morning with anyone other than the Malfoy side of his family and the Zabinis. At least Maggie would be joining them later to give him some familiarity. She was spending Christmas morning with her siblings and would be joining Lily and the others at Grimauld Place in the afternoon.

"I'm just observing it all, enjoying the dynamics of your family. I have to admit, this is the most chaotic Christmas I've ever experienced. At the Manor we rarely surface before eleven, then we have a formal lunch prepared by the house elves and we open presents in the afternoon." Scorpius laughed as they watched her family fight over food and presents through the window.

Lily watched her family enjoying themselves and tried to imagine what Christmas would be like with the Malfoys. She didn't believe it could be anywhere near as enjoyable as this. She loved being surrounded by her family and she loved it all the more that Scorpius was sharing this time with her.

"It sounds perfectly dull." Lily half teased, kissing Scorpius lovingly on the chin since that was all she could reach in their current embrace.

"There's no need for public displays of affection!" James called out as he and a group of others came out to play in the snow. The others started to make snow men and have a snowball fight but James ran straight to his sister. He then followed the comment by a contradiction. He hugged both Lily and Scorpius before wishing them a Merry Christmas. After Freddie threw a snowball in his direction James turned and went to tackle him. Both Lily and Scorpius laughed at the ridiculousness of James' comment. The Weasleys were the kings and queens of public displays of affection. They were always hugging or patting each other on the back. Still laughing Lily and Scorpius joined the snowball fight. They helped Aimee and Teddy build a family of snow people before they headed back inside.

Her grandparents were there along with a couple of her aunts and a few cousins. "Why is it that children have more fun playing with the boxes than the actual toys?" Arthur asked flummoxed as he watched Luc and Remy crawl on to the back of a 'dragon', which was actually the box Aimee's toy kitchen had come in. The toy kitchen was currently set up to the side of the room and was presently untouched for Aimee to play with once she was bored of the snow. By the sounds of her laughter, that wasn't going to be any time soon.

Without a moments hesitation Lily and Scorpius, joined by her uncle Charlie, gathered around the two little boys and got involved in their game. Scorpius rarely had the opportunity to act so childishly and he enjoyed every minute of it. Lily was happy to see how carefree her man looked.

The afternoon of Christmas day was a complete contrast to the morning. Lily and Scorpius left the Burrow with her parents and headed for Grimauld Place. A small buffet dinner had been prepared and Scorpius' parents along with Maggie and Albus were also in attendance. This was be the first time both Lily's parents met up with Scorpius' since their relationship became public knowledge. James was absent from the meeting but not because of any aversion to having the Malfoy's there. He was spending the rest of the day with Amelia and her family.

Everything ran smoothly and as the afternoon turned to evening, Harry cracked open a bottle of firewhiskey which he shared with Draco. Lily and Scorpius joined them but where Scorpius was wise to turn down a glass, Lily accepted the challenge offered to her by Mr Malfoy. Albus and Maggie had retreated to elsewhere in the house by this time; Astoria and Ginny were congregating by the blazing fire. Bonding in a way only two proud mothers could, the two women were pouring over several photo albums.

"Are they from your trip to Rome, Mum?" Scorpius asked curiously as he watched the smirks stretch across his mother and Mrs Potter's faces. Lily raised her gaze from the glass of amber coloured liquid she was nursing. She hated the vile concoction that burned her throat but she was stubborn enough to finish it since Scorpius' father was watching her doubtfully. She quickly took another sip: while she schooled her features not to cringe, she craned her neck and watched her mother and Mrs Malfoy suspiciously.

Astoria turned to her son, smiled fondly and had a gooey expression in her eyes. "No dear, Ginny and I are looking at baby photos of you and Lily."

Lily stared at her mother in horror: for years she had escaped this dreaded day. Her brothers had explained how horrifically embarrassing it all was when their mother got out those albums, and using them as a weapon of the very worse sort of torture.

"We do not want to be around for this." Lily hissed at Scorpius. She grabbed his arm while he watched bemusedly as she stood up and dragged him to his feet.

"I was a cute angelic baby so I've nothing to worry about." Scorpius teased confidently but didn't put up any resistance.

Lily scowled, unappreciative of his lack of concern of the current humiliation at hand. "Well after they raised three boys, I was a novelty. They'd dress me in the most ridiculously girly outfits with too many frills and lace. I was a fashion nightmare." Lily quickly explained as she ushered him to the door while her father chuckled into his drink. Since he knew how much fashion meant to his girl, Scorpius wisely kept his mouth shut. However, this didn't stop her from reading the expression on his face and knowing he would quite like to see some of those photos himself.

Astoria wore a very Slytherin smirk when she looked at her son. "I have here an adorable photograph of you in your christening dress, my dear."

Scorpius' mouth gaped incredulously. "You…put…me…in…a dress" He stammered as the blood drained from his face, and Lily shook her head at how cunning mothers could be. Lily watched as Scorpius turned to her looking far less confident than he had been. "I think you're right. This is not something we need to be around for. Wasn't there something you wanted to show me?"

Since Lily wanted to get out of there fast and did indeed have something to show Scorpius, she dragged him out of the room. They heard their parents laughing upon their exit and Lily herded her man into the dinning room. She purposely directed him so that they stood in front of an ancient looking tapestry.

Scorpius' eyes widened in surprise as he registered just what he was looking at. "The Black Family Tree!" he said in amazement as he traced the lines of his paternal grandmother's family.

Lily was pleased by his reaction. "My dad had it repaired when I was young. There were several names such as his godfather and Teddy's grandmother that had been blasted off by the insane Walburga Black, Sirius's mum." Lily explained. "Though it will only display relations with magical abilities, my dad managed to get it to update automatically. Here's you!" Lily pointed out as she touched the tapestry where Scorpius's name and date-of-birth shone in golden thread.

"This is brilliant. We have the Malfoy family tree at home but it doesn't have my grandmothers family on it. How come you still have it up? Do you have one for the Potters?" Scorpius asked.

"It was the one heirloom that my dad's godfather left him which he wanted to keep, especially being able restore Sirius' and Andromeda's name back on it. Besides, Kreacher wouldn't allow it to be removed from the wall. He was still loyal to the Black family until the end." Lily clarified. "But no, we don't have one for the Potters. We're actually on this one." Lily continued without thinking. "My great grandmother was blasted off the map when she married Septimus Weasley. Once Isla's name was put back on the tapestry, the rest of her descendants were filled in." Lily pointed to the area of the family tree that was filled with the names of her Weasley relatives. "Dad managed to add both his parents to the tapestry through his marriage to mum."

Scorpius took a step back as he processed that piece of information. "You mean we are actually related?" He asked and Lily was unable to decipher his tone. Lily had to admit it had weirded her out when she'd first discovered the family connection but it wasn't as if they were closely related. Her mother's side of the family were Purebloods after all and there wasn't a Pureblood family around that wasn't connected in some way. She was surprised Scorpius hadn't realised that before now.

"Mindboggling isn't it? I guess I can't tease your Slytherin friends about their inbreeding. My great, great grandfather Arcturus was the younger brother of your great, great, great grandfather Cygnus." Lily said after consulting the tapestry.

Scorpius did the calculating in his head. "So we are fourth cousins once removed. That doesn't sound too bad when you think about it. After all, your dad's godfather's parents were second cousins. That's a bit weird."

"Very weird." Lily agreed. "Vic and Teddy are fourth cousins once removed as well." Lily added hoping that it would reassure her man.

It did and he smiled at her, expressing his relief. "And none of their kids are showing any deformities or tendencies of madness." Scorpius teased and Lily blushed prettily. He leaned close and framed her face in his hands. The look in his eyes told her that the revelation of their family connection hadn't changed his feelings for her. He then gave her one hell of a toe curling kiss. As they broke apart needing air, Scorpius leaned his forehead to hers. "Why don't you give me a tour of the house while we wait for our mothers to recover from their craziness."

Lily was more than happy to oblige. Taking a hold of his hand, Lily guided him around the house she grew up in. She livened the tour up by inputting amusing anecdotes about the mischief she and her family got up to there. These included stories like the time she was two: her parents were decorating James' bedroom blue. Lily had dunked her head in the pot of paint so that her hair would be the same colour as Teddy's. When she was four, she had displayed her first use of magic. James and Albus had put the jar of their grandmother's homemade cookies beyond her reach and she'd managed to levitate herself in order to get one.

They met Albus and Maggie in the old playroom upstairs. They were surprised to see Lily and Scorpius but when they explained about the photo albums, Albus shivered sympathetically and Maggie chuckled. Ginny had taken great pleasure in showing Maggie all the embarrassing pictures she had of Albus, much to his dismay. They chatted for a while before leaving the two to enjoy their alone time.

"This room used to be my room." Lily informed Scorpius as she pointed to the walnut wooden door before them. "All my old stuff is now in my flat so I dread to think what they've done with it." She sighed and opened the door. The sight beyond was not what Lily could have imagined and she felt panic flood through her when she took in the cradles and toys there. Her parents had converted her room into a nursery. "Mum! Dad!" Lily bellowed and Scorpius stood to the side looking slightly amused.

They heard footsteps from bellow as Harry and Ginny rushed to the staircase at their daughter's cry.

"What is it, sweetie?" Ginny called up the stairs.

"What have you done to my old room?" Lily yelled as she stuck her head over the banister to glare down at them.

"What's the problem? You're not using it anymore." Harry replied with some amusement over his daughter's reaction.

"Normal people would turn the room into a gym or guest room or even a room to carry out one's hobbies…but not you two. You two turn the room into a bloody nursery." Lily complained.

Ginny huffed at her daughter's tone. "Well, we need a place for the grandchildren to stay when they visit. Aimee loves her new room, especially knowing it had been yours."

"Aimee." Lily gasped out as it sunk in that the room was for her goddaughter and her siblings to sleep in.

"Of course, you didn't think- Oh sweetheart!" Ginny exclaimed as she realised why Lily had just panicked. She turned to Harry for support.

Not sure he wanted to be dragged into this conversation, Harry stepped forward anyway. Looking up at his daughter, he told her earnestly,

"We're more than happy with the three grandchildren we have. We're in no rush for any more at the present time."

Lily's sigh of relief was audible and she felt her cheeks pinken with embarrassment. She informed her parent's that they were mistaken by what they assumed was her reason behind the complaint. She didn't sound convincing but they both left to join the Malfoys back in the living room. Lily finally turned to face Scorpius who was a little pale but able to meet her eye.

"We are not going to talk about what just happened." Lily said in a tone of authority. Scorpius nodded meekly and held out his hand, trying to act as if nothing had happened. Scorpius pulled Lily into a warm embrace, which instantly soothed her. She knew sooner or later, this particular conversation was bound to happen. She knew that her man sensed this as well. But for now, the pair of lovers stood at the banister, enjoying the moment of peace between them after a rather hectic holiday, and enjoying each others touch. The new year was full of promises in their eyes and Lily couldn't wait to see what would the future bring.

Over the next months Lily and Scorpius fit into each others lives completely: Scorpius had all but moved in with Lily. He spent more time at her flat than he did at the Manor. Lucius Malfoy caused Lily not an ounce of trouble since; despite the truth under his nose, he was certain Scorpius' behaviour was fiscally motivated. Scorpius managed to build on the respect he gained among his colleagues at the Ministry, while Lily's business venture with her cousin surpassed their wildest dreams. In a matter of months Lily was at a stage where all she needed to do was create her designs, choose the fabrics and oversee the garments creations. They brought on more staff and it was Lucy's role to manage them. This gave the girls more free time on their hands. When they weren't spending it with their family and friends, they were using it to come up with ways to expand their business.

**Thank you for reading. I'd love to know your thoughts on this chapter and the story so far. **

**I also want to say a BIG thanks to my AMAZING beta reader Klaudia, for all her help. Xx**


	49. C49: A Summer's Day

_Thank you for reading and reviewing. I also want to thank Klaudia (Emily Swain) who has been a tremendous help when editing this chapter. _

**Chapter 49: A Summer's Day.**

Lily sat in her kitchen nibbling on a piece of French toast while reading her latest letter from Jaz. Several months ago he had moved to Spain with his new job and to be nearer to Fernando and his family. Jaz's own parents had not yet come to terms with his sexuality but Fernando's parents had warmly welcomed Jaz into their family. Fernando and Jaz were currently sharing a flat in the bustling city of Madrid; in his letter, Jaz had assured his beloved friend that he and his man were thoroughly enjoying themselves. Feeling happy that her friend was doing well, Lily set the letter aside until the time she would pen her response.

"What have you got planned for today?" Lily heard Scorpius ask as he came to join her at the table. Since Jaz's departure Scorpius had all but moved into the flat with her. He certainly did spend more time here than he did back at the manor. She glanced up to see Scorpius tuck into his breakfast she'd made him. It had taken her several months but she was finally able to find her way around the kitchen without being in danger of poisoning anyone.

Though she was happy to see Scorpius enjoy his food, he was bound to get indigestion if he continued to shovel food down him at that speed. Anyone would think he was in a hurry to leave her. Lily frowned but kept those thoughts to herself. No doubt she was overreacting. She was still reeling from the new changes at work.

"I have a couple of new girls starting in the shop today since Maggie and Margarita left to set up their beauty parlour with Dominique." Lily sighed. She was happy for her friends but she did miss having them around everyday. "They need some training up and Delia doesn't have the time to spare since she'll be the only one working on the shop floor otherwise." Lily explained. Lucy wasn't available either, since she was on maternity leave after the birth of her son Hope. It also didn't help that it was August and several of her staff had gone on holiday.

Scorpius paused his eating long enough to shoot her a sympathetic glance and say: "It must be good to have the others close by though."

Lily inclined her head in agreement and grinned. "Yes. If they had to leave I guess them moving next door isn't so bad. It is weird not working with them though. What are you doing today?" Lily asked to change the subject and to find out why he was in such a hurry to finish his breakfast. It was a Saturday so Scorpius didn't have work today.

"I have a few errands to run for my mother before the charity ball at the Manor tomorrow. But I'll be meeting up with Albus and Duanne later on," he explained quickly and washed down his food with a few gulps of freshly squeezed orange juice. Lily's curiosity began to spark up as she looked at Scorpius inquiringly.

"You're seeing a lot of them recently," she commented. Not that she had anything against him spending time with Albus and Duanne; it had been a huge adjustment having Scorpius at the flat as often as he was. Nevertheless they had managed to master the art of compromise, at least to their satisfaction.

"They're helping me with some research." Scorpius shrugged evasively not quite meeting her eye.

With her interest peaked, Lily raised her eyebrows at him. "And you're not going to explain further I suppose." She smirked as she tried to fight down her curiosity. He was up to something, she was sure of it, though for the life of her couldn't figure it out.

Scorpius grinned mysteriously. "You'll find out soon enough," he said and winked at her. Lily sighed andmentally ordered herself to be patient. If he didn't want to tell her yet then there was no way she could get him to fess up before he was ready. Well, no way if she resigned herself to playing fair. She was sure she could wriggle it out of him if she put her mind to it.

As if fearing she would attempt to do just that, Scorpius stood up and kissed her on the forehead before hurrying out of the door. Lily watched him go with various degrees of amusement and curiosity. He was definitely up to something. Directing her thoughts away from Scorpius, Lily focused on the task ahead of her. Training Lucinda Jones and Poppy Moorland: two former Hufflepuffs who had decided not to return to Hogwarts after their OWLs.

x

By the early afternoon, Lily was exhausted. She had sent the two girls home early since it was their first day. She wanted to ease them into things but she was also unsure whether she could have coped with any more of their questions. She had the deepest respect for Delia and Lucy who usually took up the task of training the new shop assistants. With them gone it was only her, Delia and Minky the House Elf on the shop floor. Jess was also on site; she'd recently taken over the company's accounts and an office had been set up on the first floor.

Delia was busy with a customer when the door bell chimed alerting them to the person entering the shop. Lily's face lit up when she recognised Margarita. "Hi, have you come to ask for your job back? I'll give you an obscene pay rise." Lily half teased as she embraced her friend.

Margarita laughed and returned Lily's embrace. The two girls then edged away from the other customers. "The new recruits causing you headaches?" Margarita asked. "I'm afraid I'm very happily situated next door. It's really taking shape. You'll have to come and have a look around before it opens. Just think: people can buy their new clothes here and then pop in next door to get their hair and makeup done." Margarita added in a conspiring tone.

Lily grinned back and then sighed dramatically. "I guess I can give the girls the benefit of the doubt and put this disastrous day down to first day nerves."

The two girls laughed and chatted away. "It's nice that you're missing us as much as we're missing you." Margarita finally added as they circled the shop. "We'll have to get Duanne to knock a hole through the wall so we can all…"

Margarita didn't finish her sentence. They both heard the door bell chime and a wave of ice coursed through Lily when she saw the two people that were just entering the shop. The entire place went still and Lily knew instantly that everyone's attention was now focused on the two Malfoy elders.

Lily felt her initial wave of panic activate her lily pendant but Scorpius didn't materialise as he would normally have done. With no time to dwell on the reason behind his absence, Lily summoned up her courage and stepped forwards with Margarita at her side. "Mr. and Mrs. Malfoy." Lily greeted them pleasantly. This put the other customers at ease and they returned to what they were doing before Lucius and Narcissa Malfoy stepped into the shop. However, Delia had come to Margarita's side when she saw who had come in the shop and both girls were prepared to jump in if they were needed.

Cold grey eyes were focused solely Lily but she did not let Lucius Malfoy know she was afraid of him. A sneer formed on his lips but he said nothing as he studied her. Careful not to take her eyes off the threat, Lily spoke to Narcissa. She was standing quietly next to her husband and seemed to be as surprised to be there as Lily was. Maintaining her cool, she addressed Mrs. Malfoy,

"I never expected to see you here. Have you come on Astoria's behalf to pick up her formal dress for tomorrow?" Lily asked. "I was planning on sending it over later today. The finishing touches were completed last night."

Narcissa Malfoy inclined her head briefly. She was tense at her husband's side and she stepped forward as if to act as a barrier between Lily and her husband. Lily wasn't fooled; the motion was not to protect her but to no doubt prevent Lucius from doing something in public that he would later regret.

"If it is not too much trouble." Narcissa replied in a painfully polite voice. "Astoria has been talking of little else for weeks.I was hoping to see the dress before anyone else did at the ball tomorrow night. She has been so busy with the preparations for tomorrow so she asked me to come in her stead," she explained.

Lily suspected the last bit of Narcissa's speech to be false. She doubted Astoria knew they were there although she wasn't certain. Narcissa was a skilled liar after all; she'd lied to Tom Riddle's face and got away with it. Regardless, Lily turned to her right where she knew Minky would be standing by the clothes racks. She signalled for the House Elf to go and retrieve Astoria Malfoy's gown then returned her gaze to the two Malfoys.

The door bell chimed again. They all turned to see Scorpius enter the store with Duanne and Albus. "Grandmother, Grandfather." Scorpius said curtly nodding to his grandparents. Albus and Duanne went to join their sisters. They were ready for anything that should occur but were careful not to provoke the tenuous situation.

Luckily Scorpius held his grandfather's sole attention for the time being. "Scorpius. I didn't expect you to be here." Lucius half snarled, clearly put out by his grandson's appearance.

"That makes two of us then." Scorpius acknowledged, then turned to Lily to reassure himself that she was well. She smiled in response as she ignored the fact that Narcissa Malfoy was staring at her intently. The question over his delayed appearance was on her face but he turned back towards his grandfather. "We were just passing since we've been to Gringott's. Then Albus had the sudden urge to see how his sister was doing so we thought to make an appearance." Scorpius explained to his grandfather which in turn answered Lily's question. The connections between their lockets didn't work properly in the Gringott vaults. He would have known that she was in trouble but he wouldn't have been to use it to transport to her side.

Lucius frowned whilst the others stood around all to aware of the tension between them. It was then that Minky appeared with Astoria's dress for Narcissa to collect. Narcissa took it gratefully and urged her husband to leave with her. He made no protests to his wife's desire to get out of there. Before he left, he shot Margarita a surprising glance that had her tensing and had them all pondering over the expression on his face.

With the elder Malfoys out of the shop, Lily nodded for Delia to return to work as the boys crowded around her and Margarita. She would find time to talk to her once their customers had gone.

"Are you two ok?" Albus asked with genuine concern for the both of them. Margarita looked too much like his girlfriend to stop feeling protective of her. The other boys were the same since both girls meant a lot to them and none had liked the look Lucius Malfoy had laid on Margarita. Lily slipped herself into Scorpius' arms knowing that they would both be comforted by the contact.

X

Narcissa Malfoy exited the shop alongside her husband. It wouldn't have taken a genius to know that he was up to something regarding their grandson and Lily Potter. Why else would he have insisted they enter the store after they'd been to the apothecary? It was a good thing that Astoria hadn't collected her dress so the convenient excuse for being there had arrived, courtesy of Lily Potter herself. She wouldn't want news to get back to anyone that her husband had it in for Harry Potter's daughter. Not when she was going to work on dissuading him from the task. Lucius may be a fool at times but he was her fool and she loved him. She didn't want anything to happen to him, not after nearly losing him in the past. It also seemed that young Margarita Zabini had been added to the mix of her husband's plot.

The thoughts unsettled her and she was grateful that her husband was too involved in his own thoughts to question hers. He wouldn't be wanting anything from her at the moment, so she was free to mull over what she had just observed.

She'd been told that her grandson's relationship was for fiscal gains and to aid his own ambitions. She had been informed by her husband and son countless times that their relationship had nothing to do with love. After seeing the two in the same room, she wasn't too sure. She noticed what her husband was too blind to see. The anger Scorpius was keeping concealed when he thought Lily was in danger and the way he looked at her as if nothing else mattered in the world. No, Narcissa was certain that her husband had it wrong. Scorpius was in love with Lily Potter and the feelings were reciprocated.

As she continued to play with her suspicions, her son's recent behaviour suddenly made sense. He was sometimes too persistent in his assurances that Scorpius felt nothing for Harry Potter's youngest. And if she really thought about it, Scorpius' apparent friendship with the Potter's golden child, Albus, would have been enough to further Scorpius ambitions if that had been his real intent. In fact, the more she thought about it, the more she was certain that Scorpius did in fact love Lily. She was also certain that her son and Astoria knew about it and were working together to keep the truth from Lucius.

It was not something Narcissa was pleased to uncover, especially considering how confused she felt about the latest development on her grandson's life. She had never expected, all those years ago, to be in the position she found herself in now. She knew she owed Harry Potter the life of her family; by lying to the Dark Lord she gained Harry Potter's respect and if it hadn't been for him, Lucius and Draco would have been in Azkaban. She had been surprised that he not only testified for her but her husband and son as well, both men had gone out of their way to make his life miserable. She could never harbour any ill will towards him nor his family for saving hers.

But her only grandson in love with the Potter girl! She was stunned and unsure of what to feel, especially with the seriousness between the youngsters and their evident devotion to each other. The girl was well off, even without the wealth from her parents. She was her own boss of a popular and successful designer shop. By all accounts she is very intelligent, shrewd almost to the point of cunning; the look she was giving both of them had Narcissa sure that Lily Potter hadn't been fooled by the pretences that they had shown up in her shop. Narcissa found herself begrudgingly respecting the young Potter who had maintained a cool and mature stance despite the predicament she had been in. She inwardly sighed, making sure to keep her emotions from being expressed on her face. She looked sideways to gauge her husband's expression as she contemplated what was to be her next move.

She knew her husbands faults, so she knew he was not going to react well to the news once he finally figured out the truth. She only hoped his current plans for Lily Potter were not fully formed in his mind. That way she may be able to try and convince him to change his mind. With everything she had done and Draco had done to repair the Malfoy name, the last thing she wanted was for Lucius to do something to forever tear their family apart.

x

Lily returned to her flat that evening to find that Scorpius was not there. In his stead was a small note lying next to an everlasting lily. The note read 'Follow your heart. Scorpius x'. Lily paused as she examined the note as she wondered what her man was up to. Probably trying to cheer her up after the disaster of a day she'd just had. Nevertheless the unknown excited her. With a soft smile tugging at her lips, Lily glanced in the mirror and fussed with her hair until it fell in place. Then knowing what Scorpius meant in his note, Lily reached for her flower pendant and closed her eyes. As her excitement to uncover what Scorpius was up to grew, her thoughts were filled with the man she loves. The familiar tingling sensations caressed her skin as the magic of the pendant activated.

She knew the precise moment she was no longer in the flat just off Diagon Alley. She smelt the fresh fragrances of grass and flowers, heard the birds sing in nearby trees and tasted sea salt on the summer's breeze. Before she opened her eyes she knew she'd find herself at their favourite picnic spot.

Hearing movement nearby Lily opened her eyes. She found Scorpius and gasped when she got a proper look at him. His lovely blonde hair, which he'd been growing and usually tied back, hung loose around his shoulders. It was as if it was begging for her to run her fingers through it. His eyes were closed as he lay on a wool blanket and waited for her. A peaceful smile tugged on his lips and Lily hesitated, slightly reluctant to disturb him.

In front of him a delicious feast was laid out. There was also a bottle of champagne in an ice bucket and two levitating champagne flutes waiting to be drunk. He must have heard her sigh because his eyes opened and his smile broadened in greeting. He offered one of the glasses of champagne to her and Lily was reminded of the first time he had brought her to this spot. Almost a year had past since that time. "Just when I think I know you as well as I do myself, you do something to surprise me." Lily beamed taking the glass from him and sinking onto the blanket beside him.

"Wouldn't want a dull life. Though after today I suppose you would have preferred to curl up in bed with a good book." Scorpius teased and Lily pulled an appalled face.

"Never say such a thing. After a day like today…this is perfect." She assured him as she motioned to the picnic and the setting with her hand. He smiled gratefully and the couple enjoyed their time away from the city. Lily couldn't think of a time when her life was happier, despite what had happened today. Everything was going well between her and the man she loved, her family had all grown to adore him and treat him as one of their own. She also got along well with his parents and her business was still going strong, promising a financially secure future. It almost seemed too good to be true; slight fear began to creep slowly into her subconscious but Lily immediately shrugged it away, choosing to focus on the present and the wonderful evening before her.

The sun fell below the horizon late that evening; though the day was not yet dark, tiny orbs of light scattered on the grass began to glow. Lily laughed with joy as she watched the magical light display the orbs caused. She noticed Scorpius watching her with a peculiar expression on his face. He seemed slightly tense and nervous, but she had long ago proved that there was no reason to feel that way when he was with her. She rolled into his arms laying her cheek against his chest.

"I love you." she whispered as she nestled against him. His arms wrapped around her and he visibly relaxed as if her words had encouraged him to continue.

"From the moment I first saw you I was captivated," he said in a quiet voice, not that there was anyone around who would overhear his words.

Lily rolled out of his embrace and onto her side so that she could see him. He wasn't looking at her, instead he was gazing up at the sky. She didn't understand his words since the first time they had seen each other, they were on the Hogwart's express: Warrington had insulted Jess and Lily had threatened them. Had it been her courage that had captivated him? It sure hadn't seemed that way at the time. "What- When I was a scrawny first year with a wand pointed at you?"

"No. I saw you from the window of the train; when you were a beautiful child so upset that your brothers were leaving you to go to Hogwarts, you chased the train with tears streaming down your face. That's when I first saw you and was captivated." Scorpius admitted and Lily gaped at him in surprise. When she made no move to interrupt him, he continued. "I remember thinking that if I had a sister at home that was that upset to see me go off to school, I would have gladly chosen to stay and be home schooled. I didn't like to see you upset, even then. You visited my thoughts often from that day on. It's difficult to pinpoint the exact day I fell in love with you. I only know that this past year has been the happiest of my life."

"Scorpius!" Lily gasped uncertain what to say to his revelation.

He glanced at her now and smiled at her look of astonishment. His hand reached out to caress her cheek. "I love you too," he told her. "I love you more than anything else. I don't think I could imagine not loving you." Lily felt her eyes begin to water with tears of joy. He knelt before her and Lily felt compelled to get up and kneel in front of him. As they both knelt there staring at each other, Scorpius reached out for her hand which Lily gave him without hesitation.

Suddenly this all seemed so real. She had a slight suspicion about what was going on but she hardly dared believe it. Scorpius gazed at her for a long time. His free hand reached inside his jacked and he pulled out a small black velvet box. Lily's eyes widened as she noticed the box and she waited for him to speak in anticipation. He didn't leave her waiting long. "I know we're young but I also know what I want in my life. I want to spend it with you. Will you marry me?"

Lily could hardly breathe. She knew that he'd opened the box to show her the engagement ring but she couldn't tear her eyes away from his to even glance at it. Instead she threw her arms around his neck and cried,

"Oh…yes! Yes I'll marry you." The tears she'd been holding back finally escaped. They poured down her cheeks as she felt Scorpius tighten his arms around her waist and heard his laughter.

The proposal was understated and lacking dramatics, which was utterly perfect. When they finally pulled away from their embrace, Lily allowed him to slip the ring onto her finger. She still couldn't tear her eyes away from him in order to look at it, but she knew he wanted to get the ring on her finger. She had to admit she liked the feeling of it there as well. She immediately wrapped her arms around his neck again and kissed him passionately on the lips. In the midst of their passion they shed their clothes. He lowered her onto the woollen blanket where they celebrated their love for each other as the stars began to twinkle against the night's sky.

Later, when the stars shone brightly against the darkness of the night, Lily was happily in Scorpius' arms. Another blanket lay on top of them to shield their bodies from the night air. The surrounding orbs gave off enough light so that she could finally examine the ring Scorpius had given her. It was truly beautiful. Two delicate bands, one gold and one silver, entwined each other. In the spaces made between the two bands was set in an alternating pattern either a ruby or emerald. Set on the ring was also a round, deep-cut diamond. Lily could hardly tear her eyes away from it now that she'd seen it.

"Wherever did you get this ring? It's so unique." Lily gasped as she admired it. It was perfect for them. The gold band and rubies symbolising her Gryffindor house while the silver band and emerald's symbolised his Slytherin house. How the rings were forever entwined together was a perfect representation of their love.

"It's a family tradition to choose an engagement ring from the family's collection." Scorpius admitted to Lily's surprise. It looked as if it had been made for them. Scorpius saw that Lily wished to question him further about the ring so he continued. He explained that when he had first seen the ring he'd asked himself the same questions. He wanted to know more about it's origins and the people it had belonged too.

"I found this ring in the family vault at Gringotts. It's goblin made and dates from the 11th century. I've spent some time researching its origins. From the old manuscripts in the vault, the ring was given to Gwendolyn Selwyn by Tiberius Malfoy. They were some of the first students to study at Hogwarts. He was a Slytherin and she was a Gryffindor. More than that, we haven't been able to find out."

Lily didn't miss the word 'we'. "So that's what you have been doing with Albus and Duanne? Researching this ring once you'd picked it out?" Lily asked and Scorpius' smile turned sheepish.

"Some of the time…yes. However some of the times I said I was with them I was actually asking your parents, grandparents and every one of your uncles for permission to ask you to marry me."

"You didn't!" Lily squealed in astonishment. "How did that go? Did they know you were going to ask me tonight?" Lily was full to the brim with questions.

"Your uncles Ron and George needed more convincing than the others but I managed to get their blessing…obviously," he added with a smile and brushed his lips lovingly against her forehead. "They don't know that I asked you tonight, only that I planned to ask you soon. How should we tell them?"

Lily thought for a moment. There was no way she could keep the news secret for long. She was just too happy about it. "The ball tomorrow seems a perfect time." Lily concluded and Scorpius agreed it was a good idea. "Are you sure your grandfather wont be there. I don't fancy running into him twice in one weekend." Lily asked after a moments pause.

Scorpius held his fiancée and caressed her shoulder reassuringly. "He said not. But should he appear, then he would have to deal with all your family, who will be there as well as many ministry officials. What exactly can he do**?"** The question was left unanswered. The two young lovers lay in each others arms thinking that their lives were absolutely perfect.

**So… what do you think? I really hope you enjoyed reading it. x**


	50. C50: Malfoy Manor

**A/N: So i've been working on this story for over two years now and is aproximatly 270000 words long, can you believe it? I certainly cant. I want to thank everyone who has reviewed Snake Charmer (almost 650 of you) and/or added it to their favourites (232 people) or alerts (251 people). It means so much to know that you enjoy reading my story as much as i enjoy writing it. There are only ten more chapters left! This time i think i mean it :) **

**I want to thank Klaudia: my beta, who has been a huge help correcting my grammar. I really hope you enjoy this chapter...**

**Chapter 50: Malfoy Manor**

Lily had been on a high all day; it was a wonder that she was managing to keep her engagement quiet until the time came when all her family would be together. She was so darn happy, it was amazing that no one had guessed already the source of Lily's joy. Then again, everyone was used to the bouts of happiness by now. Still, considering that several of them knew that Scorpius had intended to propose sooner or later, it was surprising they hadn't yet pressed her for information about the reasons for her current bliss. Lily currently was sitting in a ministry rented limousine with her four best girlfriends, Albus, Louis and Hugo. They were all dressed in their finest and ready to attend the Malfoys' Charity Ball. She wore her engagement ring as well a pair of black elbow length gloves to keep it hidden until the announcement was made; she was excited and nervous for that when the time would come for the announcement.

The lane approaching the manor was narrow and edged with a tall yew hedge. Watching through the window, Lily could only gape with wonder as they drove through the ornate cast-iron gateway and saw the manor for the first time. The sight before her did nothing to lessen the torrent of nerves churning her stomach. The Malfoys' stately home was huge. There was a queue of people in front of them so they had plenty of time to admire the property. The magnificent five-story structure was situated among extensive grounds, designed in the Renaissance style; a large domed roof towered above a large impressive entrance way. There were two smaller domed roofs on top of what looked to be of two recently added towers to the right and left of the structure, which were built in the same style. Lily didn't know how far back the property went but it was definitely larger than any other home she'd seen.

She'd known Scorpius had grown up in a large manor but this certainly wasn't what she had expected. Lily heard a whistling sound that could have come from any number of the car's occupants, herself included. Glancing back around her, she saw identical expressions of awe on the faces on all except the twins. Having been to the manor multiple times before, the twins had long since gotten over of the initial shock and awe of seeing the beautiful grounds.

"Malfoy lives here? Why the hell is he always at _your_ flat, Lily?" Jess gasped, her eyes as round as saucers.

"Just because you live in your parents' manor doesn't allow you to be mean about my flat," Lily pouted teasingly. "Besides, it's perfectly sized for me." She knew her friend didn't actually mean to insult her flat. Jess' parents were minor celebrities in the Muggle word and lived in a manor three times the size of Grimauld place. Lily returned her gaze to the Malfoy home; she had no idea how many times her childhood home could fit in it, but it was a lot more than three.

Jess blushed and made her apologies. "I didn't mean it like it came out." Jess gasped. She was still recovering from the impact of the manor. "I just meant in comparison."

Lily let out a nervous giggle as she gazed out of the window. "I have to say, I think I know how Elizabeth Bennett felt in Pride and Prejudice when she saw Mr. Darcy's home." She recalled the movie version of the novel that Jess and her had watched the previous week, which had starred Keira Knightley and Dame Judi Dench, two well respected and known British Muggle actresses.

"There's about one hundred rooms, but the indoor Quidditch pitch in the West Wing is by far the best addition to the house," Margarita added. There was amusement in her tone as she observed their different states of wonder.

Maggie shot her sister a look of disgust and rolled her eyes. "Trust you to think about the Quidditch pitch. I, on the other hand, am looking forward to seeing the ballroom in use. Azzy hasn't held a fundraiser at the manor in so long, to my knowledge," she said with equal excitement but for an entirely different reason. Maggie loved parties and meeting new people. She excitedly squeezed Albus' hand, who didn't look as enthusiastic about the prospect of the Ball as Maggie.

Louis' attention was pulled from gaping at the house as soon as he heard the twins' discussion. "He has an indoor Quidditch pitch and I'm only hearing about it now? Hello! Professional Chaser over here! I'm slightly hurt." He exclaimed half jokingly. He considered himself a close friend to Scorpius, although not as close as Albus was with the former Slytherin. He was surprised his friend hadn't mentioned it during one of their matches at the Burrow; since Lily and Scorpius started dating, Scorpius was often invited to take part in the family Quidditch tournaments.

"Tell him that when you see him. Otherwise, quit complaining." Albus grumbled, which surprised everyone else in the car. Albus was in an uncharacteristically bad mood at the moment and was definitely brooding over something. Since Louis wasn't the type to just take attitude from anyone, he verbally laid into Albus. The pair of them bickered until the others intervened and silence fell over them.

Lily wondered if something had happened between him and Maggie. She spared Maggie a glance, who was equally surprised by her boyfriend's mood. Sensing the tension, Margarita was quick to add: "Rose will freak when she sees the library Draco and Azzy had built. It's the east tower that separates the manor from Lucius and Narcissa's wing of the house. The library goes up all five floors."

Hugo nodded as he reflected on Margarita's words. "Yeah, mum and Rose will both pee themselves with excitement if they see that. Maybe we should try and avoid that."

Delia snorted at her boyfriend's choice of words and ruffled his unruly auburn curls. "So crude. I'm sure they'll be too busy dancing and enjoying themselves to go sneaking off to glimpse the library," she chided. When Delia asked why Lucius and Narcissa lived apart from the rest of the family, the twins explained that Astoria and Lucius had never seen eye to eye. Draco had commissioned the building of the east wing shortly after his marriage to Astoria. The west wing containing the Quidditch pitch had been built to mirror the elder Malfoys' dwelling at a later time when Scorpius had begun to show an interest in Quidditch. As the twins explained, Lily was oblivious to the insinuation that as soon as Draco had married, he became the new master of the house and his parents had made way for him.

Lily felt a cold shiver run down her spine at the mention of Lucius Malfoy but she shook it off. She wasn't going to worry about him tonight. She knew that she was going to have to deal with him sooner or later, especially once she married Scorpius. Regardless of either sentiments, Lucius would be part of the family, and she would be a part of his; there would be no escaping that connection. However, she was determined that she wasn't going to worry about him tonight. Lucius wasn't going to be there and she had other things she'd rather spend time thinking about, such as her recent engagement and her delicious fiancé. Lily fiddled with her ring hand. She found herself suddenly astounded by the differences in the upbringing she and Scorpius had had. Swirling emotions of inadequacy and self-consciousness began to form inside her when Jess asked,

"Where is Rose?" The question and change of subject drew Lily's attention away from her thoughts.

"She's in the car behind us with my parents and the rest of the Potters." Hugo shrugged as he replied and Lily automatically spared a glance at the limousine behind them before returning her gaze to her friends.

"Stop your yapping, the car is stopping," Maggie said, eager to join the party.

"Aye," Albus said as the car came to a stop in front of the manor and the door magically opened. "Careful not to trip on your way out." He warned the girls since they were all wearing floor length formal dresses. He may have meant it as a way to express his genuine concern, but the irritation within his thoughts leaked into his tone, making him sound resentful.

This in turn aggravated Lily's temper. Today was a happy day and she didn't want anyone ruining it, not even her brother. "Be a gentleman then and go out first, please. That way you can offer us assistance and none of us will trip and break our necks. Or more importantly, our heels." Lily beamed, trying to inject a bit of humour into his mood. It had a few of them smiling but not her brother. He frowned moodily in response.

"Why me? Why not Hugo or Louis?" Albus huffed as if offering each of the girls a hand out of the car was a massive chore.

Lily shot him a confused glance since he'd normally would be the first to offer people help when they would need it. "Because you are nearest to the door, Al. Louis and Hugo would have to fight their way to the door since the skirts of our dresses are limiting the leg room," Lily calmly explained. She could have said a lot more but she decided this wasn't the time or place.

"Fine. Hope you don't break a heel." Albus muttered bitterly as he made his way out of the car. A few confused glances were exchanged between those who remained in the car.

"What's upset him?" Lily asked Maggie as Albus helped Margarita out of the car without incident.

Maggie shrugged and shot her man a look of concern. "I couldn't tell you but I am determined to find out. He's been like this since late yesterday evening. He returned to our flat and didn't say a word until this morning. He seemed better today until we got into the car," she told Lily as she rearranged the skirt of her sapphire gown and took Albus' offered hand.

Lily winced and sat back in her seat when she heard that. Albus had spent most of the afternoon with her after Lucius and Narcissa's visit to the store. He had been concerned but appeared okay when he left. She wondered if his foul mood was because he was worrying about her or if something had happened on his way home.

"Are you wanting a hand out of the car or not?" Albus asked impatiently.

Shaking herself out of her thoughts and decided to make excuses for his mood. Lily manoeuvred her dress so that the heels were free of the deep red silk material and let Albus help her out of the car. She thanked him before giving him a hug and a kiss on the cheek. He was stiff at first but eventually relaxed into her embrace. As Louis and Hugo moved around them to get out of the vehicle, Albus pulled away from her.

"Don't want to get that dress all creased." He muttered but the hug did seem to ease some of his tension.

The limousine drove off and circled back down the drive while the next car parked outside the house. When the eight of them stood at the entrance of the manor but made no move to enter, Scorpius hurried towards them. He was dressed elegantly in black with his long blonde hair tied back. "Welcome to Malfoy Manor…my home." He added after a pause. They exchanged their greetings and Lily enjoyed the look in his eyes when he gazed upon her.

"It's big." Lily blurted out before she could stop herself. Now that she was standing beside the mansion she couldn't help but feel insignificant. Lily noticed that his cheeks flushed with slight embarrassment as he looked back at his home. She quickly retracted her words since it had not been her intention. "What I meant to say is… it's beautiful."

Scorpius smiled as he offered her his arm for her to hold. "It's both." He agreed. Lily was ridiculously nervous and excited about tonight, she was grateful for the support and the comfort he offered by just being there. He leaned in to kiss her in greeting and her fingers toyed with his tied-back hair, her slight frown shown her objection that it wasn't hanging loose like the previous evening. Thinking about their time lying under the starts last night had a blush creeping to her cheeks. Pink tinges stained his cheeks telling Lily that his own thoughts had taken a similar path.

"Hey Scor, where's this Quidditch pitch of yours?" Louis asked, reminding Lily that they weren't alone.

Scorpius laughed at the eagerness in Louis' voice. "Waiting for two teams to get together. But not tonight, yeah?" Scorpius replied.

Louis beamed at the other blonde while all the other Quidditch players in the group muttered excitedly about getting a tournament together.

"Boys." Delia and Jess muttered in unison as they rolled their eyes.

"Are you lot going to hang around the driveway all night or are you going to go in the- house." The pause before the word 'house' was only slightly noticeable. All turned around to see Harry Potter walking up the steps with his wife. Ron and Hermione were a few steps below them and Ron was commenting that the place was bigger than he remembered. James and Rose were also there with their partners looking as if the felt a little out of place, which Lily could most definitely relate to.

"Just waiting for you, Daddy." Lily quipped and smiled brightly. "But now you're here so lets go."

They all headed up the steps and through the grand stone doorway. Lily struggled to keep her jaw from dropping when she looked around the large entrance hall. The manor was a lot brighter than she expected. The walls were painted white which complimented the white marble floors. A formal dining area lay to the left while a large drawing room was to the right. The entrance way opened up onto a spacious hallway that seemed to run the length of the property, to the towers at either side. The gilded furniture was complimented by neutral cushioning but colour was injected into the design in the form of artwork, rugs and other decorations. Ahead of her, Lily could see two ornate grand staircases leading up to the next level and in the space between them; large double doors that were opened to allow a glimpse of the ballroom beyond. By the sound of the music and people socialising, many guests had arrived already.

Lily felt at a lost of where to look next so she turned to Scorpius for guidance just as Draco and Astoria Malfoy joined them.

"Welcome. It's good to see that you could make it." Draco announced as he welcomed each of them into his home. Their cloaks were taken and stored in the cloakrooms at either side of the entrance way.

As Lily spoke to Draco she heard her mother talking to Astoria. "We're glad to be here. Lily has been talking about tonight for weeks. You look lovely, Astoria. That dress is simply stunning."

Astoria wore an ivory gown that had the likeliness of famous healers along with items and creatures with known magical heeling properties, which had been painstakingly stitched onto it with ivory coloured thread. The design was fitting considering the ball's purpose was to raise money for St. Mungo's Hospital. If the stitching had been in colour it may have looked garish but as it was, it look stunning and was one of Lily's favourite creations. Astoria beam at the compliment. "Thank you. Your daughter actually designed it."

Lily blushed when she felt the two women looking at her. "She never ceases to amaze me." Ginny said, her voice full of pride. Astoria then started complimenting Ginny's amber dress and saying that she herself could never pull of such vibrant colours.

"Are your in-laws around?" Harry asked Astoria as Draco went to stand beside his wife.

Astoria laughed melodiously and it was clear she felt more comfortable at home than she did in public. "Goodness, no. Lucius doesn't approve which makes this all the more pleasurable. Don't you agree Draco?" She replied playfully as she gazed up at her husband with such gentleness that Draco wore a soft expression few ever witnessed. There was no doubt in anyone's mind that the two adored each other. It made all the females warm and gooey, and the men either uncomfortable or surprised.

Lily heard Scorpius cough beside her; his action successfully drew his parents attention back to their guests. Both Draco and Astoria looked rather flushed. "My parents went to visit friends this afternoon and decided to stay the night in London," Draco explained as he recovered first.

As Lily listened eagerly to what the Malfoys were saying, she heard her cousin Hugo approach her brother. "Al come on! Let's go and find the dungeons." Lily almost gasped. They all knew the history of those dungeons. Tom Riddle had instructed the Malfoys to hold his prisoners there during the war; her father and uncle had been one of those held captured.

She saw Draco stiffen as he overheard the conversation as well. Not liking being reminded of that time, he turned to Hugo. "The dungeons were demolished years ago, young man. The only rooms you'll find downstairs are the kitchens, laundry room, wine cellar and the living quarters for the families of House Elves who reside here."

Hugo looked ashamed when he realised his words had been overheard. His mother glared at him, appalled by his behaviour and he winced. Hugo made his apologies and quickly led Delia towards the ballroom before he said anything else that could land him in trouble. The others decided to follow, leaving Lily alone with her parents, aunt, uncle and the Malfoys. "I'm so sorry about that Malfoy. There is no excuse for such rudeness." Hermione said, surprising herself that she was actually the one apologising to this particular Malfoy.

Draco shrugged Hugo's behaviour off as if it was nothing. "Think nothing of it Gr- Mrs Weasley. Boys will be boys what ever their age. Little interests them more than the darker aspects of history. Unless of course, if it is something they have lived through." He said graciously. "And feel free to call me Draco. We are not teenagers anymore."

After that, more guests began to arrive and Scorpius escorted Lily to the ballroom. She expected more white to match the rest of the house but met with something entirely different. The Ballroom alone was twice the size of Grimauld Place. The floors were white marble, however the marble was of a rose hue that adorned the walls. Large stone windows and French doors looked onto symmetrical gardens at either side with a patio area and identical water fountains. On the far side of the room was a double doorway that led onto a large conservatory furnished with ornate, white-coated, wrought iron furnishings. Many guests were already taking advantage of the free food while others were dancing. Looking up, Lily was stunned by the panelled artwork of the ceiling. There were four panels dividing the ceiling into equal quarters. On each one was the painted image of a woman representing one the four seasons following the cycle: winter, spring, summer and autumn. The four illustrated women talked among themselves and swayed to the music played by a string quartet on the balcony that circled the perimeter of the room.

"Would you care to dance?" Scorpius asked, having watched her reaction to the room closely.

Lily tore her gaze from the spender around them and took Scorpius' offered hand. "I'd love to." She assured him as she was eager to dance. The last Ball the couple had both attended had ended in heartbreak. Lily was determined that this Ball would make up for the one she'd attended at the end of her fifth year. As they made their way to the dance floor, she recognised some of the guests. Several worked at the Ministry of Magic, while others had attended Hogwarts with her and others were customers of LiLu's Boutique.

There were a few nods in greeting but generally the other guests were too engrossed in themselves to pay them much attention. This allowed them some privacy to talk without being overheard. "Is it true that this is the first ball held here in years?" Lily asked after they'd danced their first waltz and started on another. It did seem odd to Lily for a room this magnificent to be left unused.

"Yes. My grandfather thinks it a waste of time and money." Scorpius explained. "He always kicks up a fuss when my mum would suggest it but this year she put her foot down. She was fed up of renting venues when we have a perfectly decent ballroom here."

"Decent? It's absolutely breathtaking." Lily gushed and he looked pleased by her response.

It encouraged him to continue on other subjects. "When I'm running the estate I'd like to have them more often. The place feels more alive when it's filled with people. That is unless you'd rather not play hostess," he added looking at Lily and gauging her reaction.

Lily stumbled slightly as she dealt with the whirlwind of emotions his words invoked. She wasn't certain she'd heard him correctly. "Hostess? Wait! What do you mean when you're running the estate?" Lily asked, having previously blocked the fact that the manor would be his one day from her mind.

Scorpius regarded her uncertainly. "Err...when we're married, my family will expect us to take a more active role in the estate," he clarified.

"That is what I thought. Do you mean we will live here?" Lily asked struggling to keep her composure.

"Yes, but not right away if you prefer not to. But eventually I thought we would end up living here. When we're married my grandfather won't be a problem anymore because you would be a Malfoy. He wouldn't dream of hurting a member of the family. If there is one thing he's learned, it's not wise to go after a member of the family or put them in danger. Grandmother would murder him. I'm confident that once you're a Malfoy, there will be no need for any of those wards," Scorpius said trying to put her mind at ease.

Lily realised he thought she was worried about sharing the house with Lucius Malfoy. However, that was not the case. The place was huge. She assumed several people could live there quite peacefully without running into each other. She'd never have to spend time with Lucius Malfoy if she didn't want to. Unfortunately, the size and the grandeur of the manor was part of the problem. She wasn't sure if she could be happy living in a place like this. Of course, Hogwarts had been bigger but it had been full of students. Here it would only be Scorpius, his parents and his paternal grandparents. Although she adored Draco and Astoria, she wasn't sure if she could live somewhere with only Scorpius' family. If ever they had an argument she would have nowhere to turn to, they all undoubtedly would take his side. She imagined she'd find it very lonely living in the manor, especially up until the event that she had children of her own but that wouldn't be for many years. It would be a nightmare trying to keep an eye on adventurous toddlers; there were too many places to hide. As she thought of the emptiness of the place, she was reminded of her own family and upbringing. She was used to homes where family members would be falling all over each other when they would meet up for functions or just a small visit, which was never small in the Weasley-Potter clan. It would be so different here.

As she pushed her fears of the loneliness of the place aside, she wondered what Scorpius had meant when he had said Lucius wouldn't be a problem once they were married. She could see him not harming a family member since she was certain Lucius disapproved of her about as much as he disapproved of Astoria. She was unsure whether he meant that up until the moment she became a Malfoy she was fair game, or whether their engagement meant that he would consider her a part of the family once it was formally announced. She was fed up with having to watch her back because of the older Malfoy and realised Scorpius' protectiveness over her hadn't helped to combat her fear of him. Sure it gave Scorpius piece of mind when he wasn't around but he couldn't always be there to protect her. She wondered why she hadn't come to that conclusion earlier.

Being as confused and conflicted as she was, she realised the middle of a crowded ballroom probably wasn't the best time to have this conversation. However she had little options at the moment. "So you asked me to marry you to protect me?" Lily asked and inwardly groaned. She wondered why, out of all the questions running through her mind, she'd chosen to voice that one.

He held her close and cupped the side of her face. "No, silly. I asked you to marry me because I love you," he assured her gently. Lily knew she was being ridiculous over that and blamed it on the fact her head felt like it was going to explode.

Lily took a deep breath as she tried to digest it all. She really should have expected this since Malfoy Manor was the family home and passed down from one generation to the next. Nevertheless, it didn't seem fair to not have a choice about this. She suspected she had made that choice when she agreed to marry him but this was her future too. She should have a say in it. "And I'll have no drastic problems with your grandfather. I'd be running the household, holding balls and doing anything else you wish of me." She murmured as she wondered if she was too young to take on this amount of responsibility.

"I didn't mean it like that." Scorpius gasped, suddenly appalled with himself. "If you'd prefer we get our own place, we can," he assured her. "I just believe it would be a waste to leave this place empty, though. Just think of the family parties we could have here. We could probably fit your entire clan comfortably in the main drawing room and there are other sitting rooms and enough bedrooms for all."

As Lily gazed up at him and saw the love for her that shone in his eyes and expression, her sudden doubts began to fade. Of course she was ready to spend the rest of her life with him, and if that meant she had to one day live here, she guessed she could get used to the idea. After all, they didn't need to move in right away. "You've thought about this a lot haven't you?"

"Yes, but if you don't want all those things, that's fine with me, " he said but she knew he wasn't being entirely truthful. It was obvious to Lily how important Malfoy Manor was to her man. As she reflected on the fact that he grew up as an only child here, it wasn't difficult to imagine him fantasizing about filling the place with friends and family. "We need to build our future together. That is of course, if you still wish to marry me," he said as if afraid he'd scared her off.

She wasn't about to admit that for a second or two she had wondered what she had gotten herself into. However the temptation to run had passed and she knew she wanted to marry him more than she had ever wanted anything before. "Of course I do. But let's just enjoy our engagement first. We'll have plenty of time later to discuss where we're going to live once we're married." Lily said and kissed him gently. She wasn't avoiding the issue, just delaying it.

"That sounds good." Scorpius said and his relief was obvious. "Would you like a drink?"

"I'd love one." was Lily's quick response.

Two glasses of champagne later Lily felt a lot more relaxed as she stood with Scorpius at the side of the ballroom. They'd just finished mingling with some of Scorpius' colleagues. "Shall we tell them now?" Lily asked quietly as the excitement of their news lingered in the forefront of her mind.

Scorpius took a quick intake of everyone in the room. "Later, there are still more people to arrive. Teddy's not here yet with his family." He noted and Lily agreed that they should wait. She wouldn't dare break the news without her eldest brother and favourite cousin being there.

"What are you two plotting?" James asked.

Lily span around to see her brother standing nearby. His body half turned towards them and half towards the dancers. Momentarily speechless, Lily was unable to come up with an excuse. "Lily was just saying she wanted some fresh air and we thought we'd take a stroll in the gardens before the sun sets. Would you care to join us?" Scorpius asked and pointed to one of the doors leading outside.

"No, thanks." James grumbled and sent a quick scowl to someone on the dance floor. Lily frowned at James' behaviour. It now looked like two of her brothers were in a bad mood. James met her questioning gaze. "Amelia's dancing with Clayton Krum again and I'd rather not let them out of my sight. He's just like his father." James grumbled and his worries suddenly became clear. Clayton was Nicholina and Yakov Krum's elder half brother. Their father was notorious for being a bit of a ladies man in his day. He was thought to have fifteen offspring from ten different mothers and Clayton had recently been complaining that two of his ex girlfriends were carrying his child while he had already fathered two children from different mothers.

"James, are you jealous?" Lily asked with astonishment.

James glared at her. "I'm not jealous. Never have been and never will be," he said but his tone and body language contradicted his words.

Lily would have laughed if she hadn't seen how much his wife dancing with Clayton was troubling him. It was absurd. "Jamie, you can trust your wife. She has eyes only for you." She told him reasonably and softly.

Scorpius wasn't so diplomatic since he'd had a few drinks. He had no problem teasing James. "Can't say I understand what Amelia sees in you but I agree with your sister. You needn't worry about the legitimacy of any kids she has. They'll all be yours." Scorpius said getting straight to the point. Lily groaned suspecting Scorpius had been a little too blunt.

James' smile was pleasant but his tone was edged with warning. "And your damn lucky my sister loves you. But if you get her pregnant without a ring on her finger I'll bloody kill you." He said obviously still having Clayton on his mind.

Lily's blush was as vibrant as her gown. "I think now is the perfect time for that stroll." She said and all but dragged Scorpius out to the garden leaving a laughing James in the ballroom. At least he was in a better mood after their conversation. Lily couldn't say she felt the same.

They stepped out into a square-shaped garden surrounded by a wall and a fountain erected in the centre. She enjoyed the fresh air and felt her heated cheeks cool a bit. Looking back at the ballroom, Lily could see the other guests continue to dance. Walking around the garden, Lily had only a moment to admire the sculpted female figure standing in the middle of the fountain, before Scorpius took charge and directed her through a series of other gardens leading away from the house. "It makes you nervous, the thought of us having children of our own. Doesn't it?" Scorpius stated with a hint of amusement as he hurried them down the path.

Lily was listening to him despite trying to take in each of the beautifully maintained gardens Scorpius whisked them through. "It does." Lily admitted knowing it was pointless to say otherwise. "It also terrifies and amazes me to think of us starting a family together," she added, sensing his gaze on her. "Doesn't it make you feel the same way?"

Scorpius shrugged. "I guess but I've always wanted a big family."

"Then it's a good job you'll be marrying into one," Lily replied as she struggled to keep up with him. It was enough that her thoughts were erratic, never mind trying to follow him in heels.

He slowed his pace only when the were beyond the line of sight of the other guests. Suddenly he had her up against a hedge, his arms blocking her exit as he leaned in close. Lily gasped and gazed up at him. "That's not exactly what I meant," he smirked.

She tried not to be distracted by his closeness but it was difficult. She twirled a lock of his platinum hair around her fingers and sighed. She knew this conversation was overdue considering they were going to be married. It was best they find out each others expectations of the future out now. "I know. How many do you want?"

"Nine, maybe ten!" Scorpius said without hesitation causing Lily to choke. She was so shocked by the number she hoped he wasn't being serious. There was no way she was going to have ten children, the pain she'd have to go through was unthinkable. Her expression turned horrified until she heard him laugh. "I'm kidding, love. You looked like you needed to be shocked out of some sort of trance. You've been in your own little world since the Ballroom. You were looking far too serious by half."

Lily slapped him playfully on the arm for his efforts. "Well you didn't have to shock me out of it like that." She complained but was smiling. His words may have horrified her at first but his humour and her relief had relaxed her. "My grandma had seven children. I'm not sure if I want that many though." Lily said as she wondered how my children Scorpius wanted.

"I believe three sounds like a good number, wouldn't you agree?"

"It's certainly better than seven." Lily replied thoughtfully and was distracted when Scorpius bowed his head and kissed the bare skin of her shoulder. Lily's head dropped back against the hedge as her body came to life at the sensation of his lips against her skin.

"You look beautiful in red," he murmured softly as he nuzzled her neck and trailed kisses up to her jaw line. Her arms wrapped around his neck and she fumbled with his hair tie until his hair spilled free around his shoulders. She knew what he thought of her in red, it was why she'd chosen this particular gown to wear.

"And you look sexy in black," she huskily replied and urged his lips to hers. Her hands delved into his hair with little regard for their surroundings. Their usual passion flared up between them. All she could do was hold on as his kisses made her feel faint. He supported her against him with one hand while the other slid to her hip and then her thigh. The silky fabric suddenly felt coarse against her sensitive skin. He gathered some of it in his fist causing the hemline to raise and the evening breeze danced around her ankles.

An unexpected rustling and murmur snapped them out of their sexual haze. They jerked apart from each other as they heard voices grow louder. Scorpius grabbed her wrist and dragged her deeper into the garden, hiding them behind a stone lion statue. Although they couldn't make out the words, they recognised Brian Finnegan's Irish accent. Lily wondered how he'd come to be so far away from the manor. He was talking to someone but their voice was too low to make out and soon they were beyond their hearing. "Here is probably not the best place for this. Especially when the Daily Prophet is here covering the fundraiser," Lily grumbled as they stepped out of their hiding place.

"You're probably right." Scorpius sighed reluctantly. "Give me a moment and then we'll head back inside." The couple found themselves a garden bench to relax on until it was time they both felt able to rejoin the rest of the gathering.

Heading back to the ballroom hand in hand, Lily froze when she recognised the figure standing at the entrance to the East Wing. "I thought your grandfather was supposed to be in London." Lily said when Scorpius turned to face her looking confused.

"He is- shit!" He cursed when he spotted his grandfather watching them and uttering something to the house elf standing beside him. He was looking far too pleased with himself to think that he wasn't plotting something. It gave them both the feeling of unease. "We better get back to the Ballroom." Scorpius said as he tightened his hold on her hand. Lily winced but allowed herself to be half dragged towards the Ballroom.

They were both wary that Lucius was watching them and had sent the House Elf towards them. "Master Scorpius?" The elderly House Elf squeaked when she reached them having used elfin magic to intercept them.

Scorpius paused and sighed having not made his target in time. Lily had the feeling that Scorpius had wanted to get her inside before he went to meet with the elf. Despite everything, he inclined his head as he fondly greeted the elf. "Yes, Taffy?"

Taffy eyed the young couple before her nervously and glanced back towards Master Lucius. She didn't want to be the bearer of bad news and she knew if Lucius Malfoy was happy, this wasn't going to make her favourite master of the house the slightest bit happy. "Master Lucius would like to speak to you in his study," she explained with her fearful glance behind her.

"Thank you, Taffy. Could you find my father and ask him to join me there?" Scorpius asked. Lily realised that he hadn't said 'us' which confirmed her suspicions that she wasn't going to be invited along. She wasn't sure she liked the thought of him going to see Lucius without her, especially after yesterday and definitely after he looked so smug as he continued to watch them.

"Toffy has been sent to ask both your parents to meet Master Lucius in his study." Taffy squeaked to reassure her master. Lily didn't find her words at all reassuring though. It sounded far too serious if both of his parents were being summoned away from their party.

Scorpius nodded and thanked Taffy. "Do you know what this is about?"

Taffy shook her head. "No, Master Scorpius. Only that Master Zabini and his wife are there and their daughter Mistress Margarita has been asked for."

"Thank you, Taffy. I'll be with him in a moment but I'll see Lily to her family first." Scorpius said stiffly but his expression was unreadable. Lily had known him long enough to know that in itself was not a good sign. She was overcome with a feeling of dread and reluctant for him to leave her.

"Let me come with you." She urged as the entered the ballroom. No one seemed to notice the tension emanating from them. He shook his head as he spotted James and headed towards him. "I wont be long. I promise." He told her in a way that wasn't at all reassuring. Before she could object further he turned to James. "Keep an eye on her will you?" he asked and once James agreed, Scorpius headed outside again.

Lily stared after Scorpius, shocked that he was leaving her behind. They were engaged now and supposed to support each other during difficult times. "What's that about?" James asked curiously and Lily let out a frustrated growl.

She shot him a look that reminded him of the one Andromeda used when Teddy had done something dangerous growing up. It was a look that demanded his obedience. She was on a mission and would not let anyone get in her way. "Have you seen Maggie or Duanne?" she demanded and he quickly replied with an honest no. "What about Teddy? Has he arrived yet? I need someone who knows their way around this place." Lily said and James realised that was about the best explanation he was going to get just then.

He sighed, thankful that he'd promised Scorpius only to watch over her and not keep her in the ballroom. The was no way he would have been able to stop her but he half hoped Teddy didn't know his way around the manor. "Teddy arrived while you were outside. He's there." he said pointing to where Teddy stood with his best friend Henry. Lily strode towards Teddy with James behind her.

"Teddy?"

"Hi Lily-" Teddy began cheerfully until he saw the look on Lily's face and she interrupted him. The fire in her eyes reminded him of his grandmother and he hoped he had the answer for what ever she was wanting to know.

"I need to find Lucius' study. Do you know where that is?" Lily demanded.

"Yes, but why do you want to go there?"

Lily huffed since she didn't want to waste time with explanations but she owed her brother one considering he did know where the Malfoys would be. "Scorpius is there with his parents and grandparents. It sounded serious and I want to make sure he's okay." She explained impatiently.

Teddy realised that was the best explanation he was going to get. "I'll take you but let me tell-" Teddy stopped mid sentence when he saw her already dangerous expression harden. "Fine, Henry can you tell Vic when she gets back that I'm with Lily and won't be long." Teddy got out just before Lily herded him and James out of the Ballroom.

The three of them headed towards the entrance to the East Wing from the main body of the house. They were grateful not to meet anyone else on their way. In the East wing Teddy led them through an elegantly furnished living room when they heard raised voices coming from a room which Teddy pointed out as Lucius' study.

"Are you sure you want to do this, Lily?" James asked as he risked her anger by grabbing her arm and holding her back.

Her distress temporarily penetrated her hard exterior as she heard the concern in her brother's voice. "I don't know, Jamie. But I have this awful feeling. Can you get mum and dad?"

As a reaction to her distress, James didn't hesitate to break his promise to Scorpius. "Just promise you wont go in there until I come back?" He asked, despite knowing his sister well enough that the answer was obvious.

"I can't do that, Jamie."

"Then I'll hurry." James said and raced back towards the Ballroom, inwardly cursing the distance he had to run.

**Thank you for reading. I'd love to know your thoughts on my story.**


	51. C51: Thwarting Lucius

_Really sorry for the delay. I've had very little time to spare what with writing essays and working in a hospital. Hopefully this is better late than never. Thank you for your patience and understanding and thanks to Klaudia for your amazing beta work._

**Chapter 51: Thwarting Lucius**

The moment that Lily opened the study door, the scene before her was imprinted onto her brain. During that first second where the door swung open, time stood still; she absorbed every detail. The room's occupants were divided into two groups separated by Lucius' desk. Those behind his desk were Mr. and Mrs. Zabini and Lucius himself. All three wore smug expressions of satisfaction. Lucius sat at his desk with a scroll of parchment in his hands, caressing it as if it was the most precious object in his possession. It was clear to Lily that this parchment was Lucius' answer to something important in his life, a solution to all his worries. Blaise Zabini and his wife looked equally delighted as they flanked each side of the senior Malfoy.

On the other side of the desk stood Draco Malfoy with a hard expression on his face as he stared at his father and former classmate. He had a hand on his son's shoulder, silently cautioning him to restrain himself. Astoria was clearly livid with her father-in-law; she looked dangerous and Lily finally understood what Scorpius' friends had meant when they said they wouldn't want to get on her wrong side. Astoria had placed herself in between Scorpius and Margarita, giving each an equal sense of comfort and support. She had one hand on her son's arm and the other was holding a distraught Margarita in a half hug. Lily tried to assess Scorpius' expression but he was hidden from view. The only remaining person in the room was Narcissa Malfoy, who was set apart from the rest of the room's occupants. She hovered to the side at an equal distance from each group. She was watching uncertainly, analyzing the situation before her, while struggling to decide where she should stand: with her husband or the rest of her family.

A second after Lily began absorbing the scene in front of her, the door slammed against the wall. Her hand shot out to stop the rebounding door from hitting her, while the noise drew the attention of the people in the room. She ignored the exclamations and objections to her arrival, for she was focused on only one person, the man she loved. Scorpius' expression almost paralyzed her. It was one of despair and Lily felt his anguish hit her to her core.

Knowing to expect the worst, a numbness consumed her as a form of self-preservation. She had not had to revert to this shell since Hogwarts. However sensing the urgency of the matter before her, she knew it was the only way to keep herself in check, if she was to face off against her future father-in-law. She made several hesitant steps towards her beloved; she ignored everyone but him, while Teddy shadowed her steps protectively. If Lily had turned to look at him, she would have seen that he was taller and more imposing than usual. His metamorphic skills were changing his appearance rapidly and instinctively. He didn't like the looks on Lucius and Blaise's faces when they glared at Lily. It was as if they saw her as an obstacle that needed to be eliminated immediately.

"Scorpius." Lily said as she looked at no one but him. She was pleased to hear her voice was calmer than she felt. "I know you didn't want me here but I couldn't stay away. I had to."

She half expected him to be mad that she'd gone against his wishes. He had wanted to protect her from this, but Lily was starting to suspect this situation was not something she could be protected from. Whatever was going on in this room was life changing, and Scorpius knew it.

Scorpius stepped away from his parents, his hand hovering in the air towards Lily. He spoke her name pleadingly. Ignoring their audience, Lily rushed into his embrace. His sadness began to overwhelm her. She buried her face in his chest as his arms surrounded her. He held her tighter than usual but Lily didn't mind. She didn't want him to let go.

It felt as if they stood there like that for hours but it was more likely only seconds that had passed. "I'm glad you came," he said in a flat tone.

Lily leaned away slightly so she could see his face. The same torment was there and Lily suspected she now wore a similar expression without knowing the details of what was going on. "Lily" he breathed again as he stood before her, his hands soothing her crimson ringlets from her face. Tears pooled in her eyes but she refused to release them. With his silver eyes bearing down at her, Lily felt her lips begin to tremble but Scorpius gently stopped them with his fingers. He cradled her face in his hands and kissed her briefly. The kiss wasn't exactly passionate, but it was full of unsaid emotion; love, constancy, longing and desperation.

"I will fix this." He swore, his breath caressing her lips. Though he sounded determined to find a way out, there was an element of hopelessness in his tone.

"Fix what?" Lily asked and she winced at the flatness of her voice. Less than half an hour ago she had been blissfully happy, engaged and looking forward to living the rest of her life with Scorpius. Now, she wasn't exactly sure what was going to happen. She felt as if her whole world was about to end. She knew it was due to the man who decided at that particular moment to make his authority known to the intruder of a private family matter; at least to him, it was she that was the intruder.

In the background Lucius was yelling, demanding her to leave and saying she had no right to interrupt a family meeting. Astoria and Teddy responded but Lily didn't process their words. She was waiting for Scorpius to explain; to her, at the moment, it was only Scorpius that existed. This was their life that was being toyed with, their world slowly falling apart. In her mind, it was only the two of them, and she sensed Scorpius felt the same way.

In the moments it took for Scorpius to find his voice, several things happened. The study door opened again. Lily's parents entered the study with her brothers and Maggie. In a foolish act that in his mind saw as reflex, Lucius drew his wand, aiming at Lily to which Lily's family responded by drawing their own wands on him. In reaction, Scorpius tucked her protectively behind him, acting as a shield between Lily and his Grandfather.

"Aren't you satisfied with the damage you are causing?" Scorpius seethed. "You will not hurt her. It's already enough that you are trying to prevent our marriage by this sham of a betrothal."

Lily paled at the words as the room went still. This wasn't exactly the way she had planned to tell her family she was engaged, however the word betrothal had her reeling. She wriggled out of Scorpius' hold and stepped to his side. Her eyes were no longer on Scorpius but on the pale skinned man now sitting at the desk. Lucius Malfoy was cautious about the wands on him, already having lowered his. He remained seated with the scroll of parchment in one hand. His steely gaze was on Lily and she edged forward aware of the increasing tension in the room. She showed no fear as she met his gaze with undisguised hatred. She really did despise the man in front of her and doubted that would ever change.

In her peripheral vision she saw her parents watch her. They were standing with Draco and Astoria as they updated them with what Lucius had done. Maggie ran up to Margarita, who burst into sobs as soon as Maggie's arms were around her. Maggie dragged Margarita to a chair furthest away from their parents as she tried to comfort her. James and Teddy stood near her and Scorpius while Albus hovered by the door, his green eyes soaking in every detail. For a brief moment, Lily marvelled on how very much Albus resembled their father; he was studying the atmosphere around them all, as if deciphering a way to find a solution, waiting for his moment to step in.

"It is not a sham of a betrothal. Everything about it is legal and concrete. You know that, lad." Lucius shot back cruelly to his grandson although his gaze focused on Lily. "My lawyers have looked it over and yesterday I decided on the perfect wife for you. Margarita will provide you with proper, pureblood heirs."

As Scorpius protested that Margarita was more like a sister to him and that heirs were impossible, Lucius was only half listening. A malicious glean shimmered in Lucius' eyes as he held the scroll out for Lily to read. She took it with a surprisingly steady gloved hand and opened it with an air of detached emotion which would have made any Slytherin proud.

Gasps escaped her families' lips at the news. Words were spoken but Lily blocked them out as she read the scroll. She was furious and devastated at the same time but she wouldn't let Lucius win; she would not fall to pieces in front of him. Stepping back to Scorpius' side so that he could wrap his arm around her, she read the contract.

As Lucius had said, the contract told of a betrothal between Scorpius and Margarita. As she read on, she realized that there was no room for annulment and a divorce will not be sought until an heir was born. The idea made her sick as she wondered how Lucius felt it was his right to dictate the lives of others.

She read the contract twice as she examined it for anything she could use. It was an old fashioned contract and not generally enforced today; it was signed by Blaise and Lucius. Lily knew not to ask if the contract being signed by Lucius instead of Draco would make a difference. Lucius would have made sure that it wouldn't, it was likely that any blood relative could have decided their fate. She saw only a glimmer of hope in the date of the signatures.

"This _thing _was signed today." She said passing the parchment to Scorpius and focusing on only him. With her hands free she removed the glove on her left hand. Her engagement ring glistened brightly in the torch lit study. "We got engaged yesterday. That has to make the contract void." She pleaded, a single tear escaping and trickling down her cheek.

Scorpius wiped it away with his thumb and shook his head. "The contract would be void only if we were married or a previous betrothal was arranged," Scorpius said sadly. Similar contracts had been used in his family and families like his for centuries. He knew there were no loop holes. Marrying Lily would not be legally binding but that didn't mean he had to marry anyone else. There was no timescale set for the supposed marriage between him and Margarita. "This contract determines who I will marry if I ever marry," He explained and held her hands in his. "This isn't what we wanted but I won't let it prevent us from being together. I love you."

Lily nodded her head. She wanted to marry Scorpius and knew that more clearly than ever, all fleeting doubts were gone. However, if it was not possible to marry him then she would be happy just to live her life with him. She would not let Lucius tear them apart.

"Don't be foolish." Lucius roared as he overheard the couple and saw where it was leading. "You will do as you are told, you ungrateful brat. I got you a way out of this situation you got yourself in. You should be thanking me-"

Lucius never completed that sentence. Scorpius turned on his grandfather. "Thanking you? Why in Merlin's name would I want to do that? I love Lily and asked her to marry me last night and she said yes. I was happy, truly happy and you have taken that away from me. So explain to me why I should be thanking you." Scorpius said fiercely and Lucius blanched, eying his grandson as if seeing the real him for the first time. Suddenly, the elder Malfoy's mind was reeling.

Lucius had thought he was helping his grandson but doubt was creeping into his mind. Surely his grandson hadn't fallen for the girl; he'd hoped to get this sorted out before that had happened. As his confidence, wavered his anger increased. His pride was hurt, more so he was embarrassed that the Zabini's were here to witness his grandson's disobedience. This was not turning out how he had expected.

"You will do as you are told!" Lucius yelled, slamming his fists against his desk. "Do you think I will let you pollute the family name? I will not have my future great grandchildren being related to any one related to that Arthur Weasley." There was uproar as everyone yelled at once. Noise exploded around the room.

"You did this to my daughter because of an old feud with my father? Are you serious? Are you that daft?" Ginny began to seethe. "Are you to tell me that you decided to ruin the lives of not one, but THREE young people, just to spout some Pureblood nonsense and to spite my father?" Ginny's expression was turning murderous; as her threats began to spill forth on the formidable Malfoy, a mother who had to watch one of her children suffer because an old notion would relate to Ginny Weasley Potter; in fact that mother was Astoria Malfoy, who was still glowering at her father-in-law and very much looked as if she were to assist Ginny at any moment.

Harry managed to restrain his wife from causing Lucius any physical harm but there was no way he was going to save him from any verbal abuse. He wanted to kill Lucius himself for what he had done to his little girl. He would take the contract and have both Percy and Hermione look over it. The two of them combined knew the law better than any other lawyer in the wizarding world. They would be able to find a solution. For the sake of his daughter's happiness, they had to.

Maggie was yelling at her parents, saying that they had no right to make this decision concerning any of their lives; for they had never been proper parents to them and she was going to make sure that they wouldn't be able to do anything like this again. As Maggie gave her parents a tongue lashing, Draco was trying to calm his father. Astoria looked as if she was talking herself out of murdering him, as well as making sure Draco stood between her and her target to prevent her from striking the elder male. Narcissa Malfoy silently continued to observe the room, her eyes as watchful as Albus' had been, who was now entering the bedlam that was occurring at the moment with a determined expression.

Albus began to talk urgently with Teddy and James until he left the room with Teddy in tow. Lily saw them go but there was no room to feel hurt by the apparent abandonment. Fury was the only emotion she could feel. She tried to contain her anger as the torches began to flare dangerously, reacting in response to her emotions.

She had thought her connection with fire through her emotions was under control; then again she was rarely angry these days, therefore she hadn't tested out that theory. Now was not the time to let her anger get the better of her. There may be one man in the room she wouldn't lament the loss of, but the majority of the room's occupants were people she loved and cherished.

Scorpius immediately felt the change in the room, noting the torches flare up and looked to Lily.

"Lily look at me and only me," he pleaded quietly before anyone could pick up on the situation. She did as commanded, her eyes not straying from his silvery orbs. "Breathe slowly and deeply," he urged and slowly Lily began to match her breathing to his. She couldn't help but find the action soothing. Scorpius managed to smile at her, yet the smile didn't reach his eyes. "He can't stop us from being together. I won't allow it, even if it means I have to give up everything here."

Lily's eyes widened in alarm as she processed his words and caught their meaning. "You can't give up your family. Think of your parents." She gasped in shock, her anger now controlled and the torches now dimmed to their normal gleam in the study.

"You are my family now, love. My parents would never abandon me, nor abandon us. They would understand my choice. If my options are living this lifestyle without you or a different life with you, there is no choice. I choose you. I'll always choose you."

Lily felt more tears trickle down her cheeks. They were beyond being controlled so she didn't bother to try. Scorpius pulled her figure against him so that she could hide her tears. They stood there until they heard James approach them. Scorpius and James held each others gaze.

"We need to talk," James whispered urgently. "But not here." Scorpius nodded in response and Lily raised her gaze to meet her brother's. He winced when he saw her face and stroked her damp cheek with his hand. Lily saw the meaning and compassion blazing in his brown eyes. Somehow, she knew what he had to say to them was of paramount importance. She nodded as well, and James caught the attention of the Zabini twins, encouraging them to follow. He then spoke a few whispered words to his father; Harry looked solemn but agreed to whatever his son had said.

"Where are you going? Don't walk away from me, boy." Lucius demanded as he noticed the group of five leaving. Scorpius halted and urged the others to continue through the door. Lily was the only one who remained at his side, her hand held firmly in his. Scorpius turned to his grandfather.

"What are you going to do that you haven't already done?" He asked in a defeated tone. James' urgency had given him hope but he wasn't foolish enough to warn the older man of anything, yet. "You win, but you have lost the right to demand anything more of me. We will be back. I promise you that."

He refused to allow Lucius a moment to respond. Having said all he had to say for now, he walked out of the room with Lily. The older generations remained in the room to continue their discussion, or in Astoria's and Ginny's case, a shouting match of utter disgust and anger that had Lily more than happy to leave in her father's capable hands.

The couple joined the other three and they headed towards the main part of the house. "What is going on?" Lily croaked, now that they were out of the confines of Lucius' study.

James' eyes flickered down to the ring on Lily's finger, the diamond ring with a band of silver and gold intimately entwined with encrusted emeralds and rubies. "Albus thinks he has found a solution and it has something to do with the ring Scorpius chose for you."

"What kind of solution?" Scorpius and Margarita asked at once.

"I don't know exactly but I do know he thinks it can trump that contract Lucius wrote up. He's going to meet us in the library. They may already be there, Teddy's with him." James conspiratorially whispered to them and they sped up their pace as they headed to the library. It didn't take long as the tall structure housing the library was joined by the elder Malfoys' wing from the rest of the mansion.

Lily could hardly believe their luck if it turned out to be true. Anything thwarting Lucius' plans seemed impossible, yet Lily couldn't help but hope as her heart beat wildly at such a possibility. She wondered what could beat a seemingly airtight contract. She glanced at Scorpius, who was looking straight ahead. She suspected he felt her gaze on him, because he squeezed her hand encouragingly. His posture told him that he was sceptical but hopeful at the same time. Her gaze then brushed over the twins. Maggie was visually optimistic and confident that her love had found a way to fix the trouble her father had gotten her sister and best friend into. Margarita appeared less confident. Her gaze flickered around them nervously, almost as if she was looking for someone. A moment later, Margarita's eyes met Lily's. Lily recognized something in her friend's gaze, something that she would see in her own eyes if a mirror was at hand. Margarita was in love with someone and worried he would be lost to her. A moment later Margarita looked away, breaking eye contact.

Lily didn't have time to dwell on the realization that Margarita was in love. The group were soon walking through the double doors of the library. As James had suspected, Albus and Teddy were already there. They stood by an ornate mahogany table. Albus had placed a box of ancient looking scrolls on the desk with several pieces of parchment out on display.

Lily ran to her brother, hardly daring to believe that he had found a way out of this mess. "Jamie said you might have found something that can help us," she explained, wanting her brother to confirm it in person. The others gathered around the table also wanting an explanation.

"I think so but I'm not entirely sure." Albus spoke quickly but clearly. "These parchments are from the Malfoy vault when Scorpius was searching for the ring. They are letters between Gwendolyn Selwyn and Tiberius Malfoy." Lily recognized the names as the couple her engagement ring had originally belonged to. "They're not written in Old English, Celtic or any other language spoken during the 11th century that we know of. That's why we ignored them when Duanne, Scorpius and I were doing research. But you know me, I can't resist a puzzle. Not with my profession."

"Please get on with it, Al." Scorpius urged impatiently.

"Sorry." Albus said apologetically. "They're written in code!" He exclaimed and was clearly excited by the news. "However, I didn't know this until I found the painting of them." He indicated to a painting that was in the library, recently brought out of storage and leaning on the desk. Albus motioned the others to take a look at the parchments he had laid out, but Lily was captivated.

Despite the urgency of the situation, Lily couldn't tear her gaze away from the painting once she glanced at it. The woman was tall and slender with vivid red hair and an oval face. The resemblance between Gwendolyn and Lily was obvious. She wore what looked to be Gryffindor robes while the man was dressed in silver and green. He was taller than the woman and much boarder. He had waist length platinum blonde hair similar to Scorpius, although his length was much longer than his apparent descendant. They were practically identical to her and Scorpius; Lily was awestruck of the uncanny resemblance. She wondered if anyone else had picked up on it as she had; she refocused her attention to the situation at hand. Everyone one else had continued to listen to Albus.

"The border of the painting has the codex drawn into it. With it I was able to translate a few of their letters into Medieval Latin and then to English. However, this entry is of particular interest. It didn't translate into Medieval Latin but Cumbric, which is an extinct language that was spoken in Northern England and the Scottish lowlands in Medieval Britain. It being an extinct language makes my confidence in the translation a little iffy at best." Albus sighed.

"I know the language, oddly enough." Scorpius explained. 'We have a few books on the upper floors written in this particular script. There wasn't much to do in the house when the weather prevented me from spending any time outside so I taught myself to read it."

"Brilliant!" Albus beamed. "Here's the parchment in Cumbric and here is my attempt at translating it." Albus said, passing the two pieces of parchment to Scorpius.

Scorpius took them and headed to another desk, lighting a lamp so that he could examine them thoroughly. Lily sat next to him and watched him work. He would read a line of the Cumbric scripture and then a line of Albus' translation, making amendments when required. As Scorpius read the translation a smile began to spread across his face; Lily's heart felt immediately eased the moment he spoke to Albus.

"You're translation was correct where it matters. If this still holds, I think we have our solution. How confident are you with deciphering the code?"

"I'm confident. With the codex I would have cracked the code in my sleep." Albus snorted rolling his eyes. "I've been stewing over the implications since I translated it. I was working up to telling you about it but then this happened and suddenly I'm not as bothered about it as I was." Lily and the others listened to the conversation, and all were equally confused.

"Will you please tell me what's going on." She demanded switching her gaze between Albus and Scorpius. Teddy, James and the Zabini sisters looked just as interested to hear their explanation. Scorpius moved his chair nearer to Lily and handed the parchment to Margarita so she could read it. Turning back to Lily, he reached forward and brushed a lock of Lily's hair from her face and tucked it behind her ear. He reached for her left hand and held it so that he could see the ring that was truly perfect for them.

"The ring is spelled." He said simply. "Something I should have checked more thoroughly before I gave it to you and I am truly sorry for that. Knowing my family history, it could have turned out worse. As it happens it is the answer to our problem."

Lily gave her love a pointed look and he continued. "It seems Gwendolyn and Tiberius had a similar predicament to ours. Back then, the Selwyn family weren't as noble as they are considered today. It also didn't help that Gwendolyn was rumoured to be a Seer, a form of magic that wasn't exactly celebrated back then. Visions of the future were considered Black Magic in medieval Britain. Black Magic was deemed more dangerous than the Dark Arts. Knowing the future meant you could change it and that was forbiden. Tiberius was afraid that his parent's wouldn't approve of the match. He cast a charm on the ring that meant that once it was on her finger, no one could keep them apart."

"Not approving of the match! That doesn't sound like a Malfoy at all." James smirked.

Scorpius rolled his eyes, too overjoyed to respond to James' sarcasm. "The charm that was, and I'm sure still is cast on the ring, binds the giver and receiver with a contract as sure as any betrothal. According to this contract," He began and reached over for the original coded parchment. "Once the ring has a wearer, the spell is activated and cannot be broken. Lucius cannot do anything to break us apart because when I gave you that ring last night and you accepted it...well...Lily, what I'm trying to say is that according to the old magic in this ring, in its own magical contract, we were married when I placed that ring on your finger."

Margarita looked elated and hugged Maggie, who shouted in utter triumph and glee, congratulating Lily and Scorpius, not aware of the fact that Lily had gone still at the revelation at the idea that in essence she had been married for 24 hours.

"Married." Lily whispered incredulously. If the charm remained, then she was married and she wasn't entirely sure how she felt about being married already. However, it was definitely preferable to the alternative. "How do we test whether the ring is still spelled? I don't want to get my hopes up until I know for sure," Lily admitted.

"I'm certain this contract is still good but we'll test it now if you are up to it. We'll go back to Lucius' study and if the ring is indeed spelled, then skin contact should destroy it in some way," Scorpius explained calmly.

Feeling nervous, Lily took a deep breath. "We need to do this now." She agreed. She didn't think she could bear waiting for the answer but then she didn't know how she would react if it didn't work. To be given hope and then to have it taken away on the last hurdle would be utterly cruel after all that she and Scorpius had gone through to come this far.

Scorpius helped Lily to her feet. "If this doesn't work, love, then we will resort to Plan B. I'm not giving you up no matter what Lucius says."

Lily nodded and linked arms with Scorpius. She knew how confident he was that this was going to work. She saw the same confidence in the faces around her. But she still couldn't allow herself to feel that confidence in herself. "Lets get this over with." Lily said nervously and turned to the others in turn. "Are you coming with us?"

They all grinned in response. "If this comes off then I wouldn't miss it for the world." Maggie grinned as she came to hug Lily tightly before returning to hug her sister.

"But if it doesn't then we want to be there for you." Teddy replied, stepping forward to place his hand on her shoulder, giving it a gentle squeeze.

"But it will work." Both James and Albus stated confidently.

"It has to." Lily and Margarita agreed simultaneously.

With that decided the seven of them returned to Lucius' study. The atmosphere was as tense as they had left it. Everyone quietened and theirs bodies turned to the entering group. Lucius didn't complain about their entrance this time. If he was curious about their disappearance then he didn't show it. He just sat at his desk with the contract rolled out in front of him. Lily couldn't help but wonder what was wrong with the man for him to appear so cold and distant from the concern of his family. She wondered if he felt any guilt for what he had done. Narcissa remained standing to the side of the room. Her eyes met Lily and Scorpius before returning to her husband. Lily thought she saw softness in Narcissa's gaze but couldn't be certain, the connection had been fleeting.

Mr. and Mrs. Zabini still stood by his side. Their piercing gaze was on their daughters but their expressions weren't as unreadable as usual. They were suspicious about the obviously uplifted mood of the seven. They doubted that Margarita had accepted her betrothal, not with Maggie by her side. Lily wondered what they were thinking. She suspected they were cursing Maggie and no doubt Lily for their influence on the formerly reserved Margarita. Until Lily had become friends with the Slytherin twin, she had been quiet and eager to please her parents. After the friendship blossomed, Margarita had started acting for herself, which her parents hadn't appreciated nor approved of.

Harry and Ginny rushed to Lily while Scorpius' parents went to him. Lily's parents embraced her, offering comforting words. Harry assured her that he was going to have Percy and Hermione look over the contract to see if anything could be done. She drew them to side to quietly reassure them.

"It's okay, we think we have a solution," Lily breathed quietly but Lucius heard her.

"A solution!" Lucius scoffed from his position by his desk. "The only solution is for Scorpius to marry Margarita and forget about the redhead."

Lily felt her family tense around her. Scorpius stepped forward, taking Lily's and Margarita's hands in his. "Lets do this." He grinned to the girls before leading them to stand before Lucius' desk. He then stared down at his grandfather, his expression hardening at the sight of him.

"I'm going to say this plainly so you understand. Margarita and I will never marry. Neither of us want it. If we cannot find a way out of this contract, you will."

"Why would I do that?" Lucius spat, standing so that he would have to look up to his grandson.

Lily was impressed with how intimidating Scorpius could be. It was not something she often witnessed. Lily exchanged a glance with Margarita and saw the surprise in her eyes. He was smirking at his grandfather's attempt to appear intimidating. "For the sake of the heirs you want. You will not get any if you force this wedding on us." He looked towards Margarita and then back at Lucius. "As I keep saying, Margarita is like a sister to me; heirs are impossible and so is the continuation of the Malfoy name." Scorpius stated and Lucius stared back coldly.

"Luckily, we think a solution has been found." Margarita grinned meeting her parents eyes. "You see there is a contract tied to the engagement ring Scorpius gave Lily, that precedes your contract by centuries. Lily! Scorpius!"

Lily showed of her engagement ring while Scorpius placed the coded contract and the translations on the desk for him to read. Lucius nostrils flared angrily as he read. "Impossible." He growled and he began answering the angry questions coming from Blaise. He was furious at what Lucius was saying as he read out the old contract. Whereas the majority of the room's remaining occupants were slowly showing their delight, yet still waiting for the ultimate result.

Lily took the opportunity to place her left hand on the contract that she hoped would be void. For the first second nothing happened. As a sinking feeling began to consume her, she realized how much hope she had had that this plan would work. She was about to look at Scorpius when her hand began to tingle. Staring down at the contract, she saw the ink begin to swirl around the page before it disappeared. Laughing in relief she flung her arms around her love and he swung her around. Their parents watched them with smiles on their faces knowing that they were happy, while inwardly relieved that all had indeed worked itself out.

Blaise and his wife on the other hand, looked furious. "Come with us." They demanded of Margarita but she held her ground. For the first time, she stood up to her parents with the confidence of her sister and Lily, who immediately went to her side

She regarded them coldly and as Lily watched, she realized that any warm feeling Margarita had once had for her parents had vanished. She no longer saw them as her parents but as strangers, strangers she had no regard for.

"I will not come with you now." She assured them in a formal tone. "Nor do I feel inclined to grant you any further requests. I do not wish to see you again."

Margarita's parents stared back at their daughter in shock. They understood that they had lost this fight but they had yet to understand the absolution in Margarita's tone. After a fleeting look towards Lucius, Blaise grabbed his wife's arm and walked her out of the office. Lucius watched them go and turned his steely gaze on Lily. "You may have wormed your way into this family, girl, but I will never accept you. And you-" He said turning to Scorpius. "I will have nothing further to do with you." He declared furiously declared.

"I never thought you would be that accommodating old man." Scorpius answered back coldly, which surprised Lily.

With a slightly dejected expression, Lucius Malfoy stormed out of the room.

The room's occupants remained momentarily still after Lucius vacated the room to follow Blaise Zabini and his wife, each absorbing how the meeting had turned out. Lily was too relieved and surprised by the turn of events to do anything other than to return to Scorpius' embrace. Scorpius didn't object, he held her close resting his cheek in her hair. From behind her, Lily felt her father move towards the door as if to guard it. Lily understood his motives, for she didn't like the madness flaring in Blaise Zabini's eyes when he realized his daughter wouldn't be marrying Scorpius after all. Margarita's defection from them solidified his disgust for his twin daughters. She didn't want to be anywhere near him when his temper blew; she felt her father shared her feelings. It was a good thing Margarita and her siblings were all staying elsewhere tonight.

Astoria made an unlady-like snort. "Don't worry, dear. Lucius has never accepted me. It doesn't make much of an impact." She said softly and Lily smiled over to her mother-in-law. It was weird to Lily to know that she was already married. It was all happening quicker than she had expected. Lily began to wonder how different her life was going to be now. For all intensive purposes, she was a Malfoy.

As the conversations began to buzz around her, a certain Malfoy caught her attention. Narcissa Malfoy stood calm and collected after her husband's outburst, as if she were immune to it. She made no move to follow him immediately. Her expression was unreadable but her steadfast gaze met each of the remaining Malfoy's in turn. Whether as a silent acknowledgement of her husband's foolishness, or something else, Lily couldn't be certain. Her gaze then shifted to Lily. Lily stood tall in reaction and met her gaze unblinkingly. No words were uttered as the elder Malfoy surveyed Lily; none were needed. After a long pause, Narcissa walked gracefully towards Lily and raised her hand to lay it gently on Lily's shoulder. Lily knew instinctively what the gesture meant. Narcissa Malfoy, with all her Pureblood ideals, had accepted Lily as one of her own. With that, Narcissa left the study and the cheerful exclamations burst forth more exuberantly.

The atmosphere in the room relaxed completely. Astoria approached Lily first and kissed her on the cheek before doing the same to her son. The act was more awkward than it should have been since Scorpius refused to relinquish his hold on her, and Lily was more than content to continue with the contact.

"I'm so happy to have you as part of the family, Lily. I will speak to you later but now I have to see if some damage control is needed for my guests. We're used to scandal of course but I don't want to bring it on Hamfast's Orphanage for Magical Children." Astoria sighed. "Come on, my love. I need you to be your most charming self and help with the auction." She winked at her husband and he snorted. Before he left with his wife, Draco made his apologies for his father and the fact that he'd made the situation worse by his actions to keep the genuineness of their relationship from Lucius. He wished he could have protected them from the anguish Lucius had made them and Margarita feel.

Both Lily and Scorpius waved away his apologies, for they knew his intentions had been to protect them and neither held him responsible. Lucius was the only one to blame for his arrogance and paternalism.

With no reason for any of them to be in Lucius' study, everyone followed Draco and Astoria to the main part of the house. Harry and Ginny watched their children walk ahead of them, glad to see them all happy. Scorpius and Lily walked with an arm around each other and Lily clasped her free hand with Margarita's. She was happy, almost as happy as she had been earlier that day. She wondered, however, since they had been so close to ending the day on a disastrous note, why she wasn't as relieved or as ecstatic as the rest. Something niggled in the back of her mind. She couldn't put her finger on it yet, but her concerns were slowly becoming clearer.

Maggie walked with Albus eager to rejoin the party. She flitted between complaining vocally about her parents to thanking Albus for finding the way to help her sister. Every time she thanked him, she kissed him; with every kiss Albus was feeling less inclined to join the party, wanting to be alone with his girlfriend. As Albus fought his urge to drag Maggie to a secluded part of the mansion, James and Teddy hurried to rejoin their wives. They knew they would be wondering what was going on, and now that they knew their sister was well, they would no doubt fill them in. Every so often they glanced back at Lily. They found it strange to think of her as all grown up and married, but they supposed they would get used to it soon. They had no idea that Lily herself was also struggling to accept that fact as well.

As the group approached the ballroom they saw a lone figure leaning against the wall. He straightened when he saw them approach and pushed himself away from the wall. As Lily got nearer she realized the figure was Brian Finnegan. She felt Margarita's hand jolt when she too saw Brian and Lily suddenly understood. Margarita was in love with Brian. It was odd to discover such a fact when the two had never seemed more than friends. However, Lily knew why Margarita would want to keep the relationship from her parents, for Brian was a half-blood. Her parents had already proved they would do anything to have her tied to a Pureblood. But Lily couldn't see why Margarita would keep it from her friends. Not that Lily could judge, she had done the same thing when she'd dated Scorpius the first time when they were still at Hogwarts.

"Go to him." Lily said without hesitation and released her hand. Margarita turned to Lily, surprised and nodded her head. Without further delay she hurried to Brian's open arms.

"Took them long enough." Both Scorpius and Maggie muttered as they watched Margarita bow her head to kiss Brian. Lily was left with the feeling that Margarita had loved Brian for a long time. She wondered if that love had started back when they were at school. If it hadn't been love then, she was certain Margarita had had feelings for him since their school days. She remembered her initial shyness around Brian; the fact that during the Halloween ball Scorpius had said his dance partner had wanted to dance with Brian; and how they had stayed up by the campfire during the Quidditch world cup. Considering that, Lily was happy to see her friend finally happy in love. Thinking about happiness, Lily urged Scorpius to stop and nodded for her family to continue into the ballroom.

"Is there somewhere we can talk?" She asked and Scorpius nodded. He didn't look confused, he looked as if he'd been expecting her question. He walked her to an empty living room that was larger than the floor plan of her family home. It was one of the more formal rooms, rarely used. There were smaller day rooms which were cosier than this one. Lily found herself memorizing the layout of the house that was to be shared with her soon, which brought her back to the present matter at hand.

Lily sat in one of the ornate armchairs while Scorpius seated himself in the one next to her. "What's on your mind, Mrs. Malfoy?" He asked light-heartedly.

Lily laughed lightly, fidgeting with her hands. "Actually that is pretty much what is on my mind." She began uncertainly. She didn't want to sound ungrateful but she realized the thought of being married terrified her a little. After all she'd only been engaged twenty-four hours. "I'm grateful for the charm on this ring but I'm not ready to be married yet. I was wondering if we could continue as if this was a normal engagement."

Scorpius' grin broadened, "That sounds reasonable." He admitted.

Lily was pleased by how well he reacted. "And I want a wedding." She told him. "A big wedding with all our family and friends there. Well I'm not too bothered if Lucius decides not to turn up."

Scorpius laughed and stood up. "Me neither," he agreed and held out his hand to held Lily up. "Of course, we'll have a wedding. I want that too. It will take some planning and we'll enjoy this time as if we were only engaged. Besides, I doubt my mother would forgive me if we didn't have a ceremony."

"Then that's settled." Lily grinned and they began walking to the ballroom where all the guests gathered. When Lily and Scorpius entered, the auction was already underway. After the auction, they would announce their engagement. The reactions from the guests would be more positive than that of Lucius' had been. An announcement would even be posted in the Daily Prophet and a stream of congratulatory letters would pile up outside her flat. Thankfully Lily wouldn't see Lucius for the rest of the evening and for a long time after that. She was pleased to know that he would know longer be a threat to her.

_**So, What do you think of this chapter? Once again I apologise for the wait. Next time should not be so long.**_


	52. C52: Breaking Point

**I want to thank my beta for all her help on this chapter; especially her help in developing Narcissa's character. I really hope you enjoy this chapter. **

**Important - If anyone read this chapter on or before 09-06-12, then please reread. I uploaded the wrong version of this chapter. sorry. Since i made such a silly error i will be uploading the next chapter very soon.**

**Breaking Points**

The breaking point of Blaise Zabini had been a long time coming. It had happened once before with the death of his beloved mother. Prior to her death, Blaise's life had been perfect and his opportunities endless. After the war that had disrupted the lives of many Pureblood families, his own had fared remarkably well. They had had no direct connections with the Dark Arts which had been the downfall of many of the others. Although the Zabini family supported the ideals of Pureblood supremacy the Dark Lord stood for, they had not been involved in his plan to take control of the wizarding world, and therefore could not be punished. After all, one could only be arrested on their actions, not words.

His mother's murder had been the pivotal event in his life. Her then husband Ames Yaxley had murdered her but there was no proof that he had had any involvement. Blaise knew otherwise. He was certain of Ames' guilt and wanted revenge. So consumed in his path of vengeance, Blaise had been left with little other direction in his life. His opinion on Dark Magic changed and the belief that a pure-blooded society was superior to a mixed blooded race only increased. Yaxley had had a great, great grandfather who was of mixed blood after all. His blood was tainted beyond repair.

It was in his hunt for revenge on his step-father that he met his wife, a Grecian beauty from a family rumoured to be immersed in the Dark Arts, more so than the Dark Lord himself. Despite this, they had the intelligence not to follow in the Dark Lord's footsteps and attempt to take over the wizarding world. Instead they used their knowledge of the Dark Arts to gain power and respect from other Pureblood families whom shared their ideals. If anyone dared to stand against them, they knew how to deal with the situation without leaving a trace of evidence for them to follow.

Blaise's future wife had shared her knowledge in exchange for a marriage between the Zabini family. Blaise ultimately got his revenge and kept his guilt hidden, while she gained a husband whose blood was not only pure, but unpolluted by generations of inbreeding. Although there was no love between the two, there was mutual respect. However, what Blaise had not anticipated in his search for vengeance was that his heart would become closed off, as if it turned to ice. He was no longer the young man he had been when he left Hogwarts. Gone was the arrogant and young wizard who had wanted to enjoy his life; instead was a cold and distant version of his former self.

Years before his children attended Hogwarts, Blaise and his wife had been so proud to have four healthy pure-blooded children. They had two males to carry on the Zabini name and two females to marry into other pure-blooded families, upholding the purity of the Zabini's magical bloodlines. In fact, Blaise and his wife had agreed that when the time would come, he would seek out his former classmate, Draco Malfoy, in order to arrange a marriage between one of their twin daughters and the lone Malfoy heir, Scorpius. Although the family's reputation had been tarnished with Draco and Lucius' involvement with the Death Eaters, their subsequent pardon from Harry Potter himself and Draco's wife Astoria immense involvements with numerous charities had made Scorpius a respectable choice, if not ideal.

So much had changed since then.

They had long since written off their daughter Magdalana, whose sorting into Gryffindor had been the first clue that she would turn out to be a disappointment to them. That she would identify with and befriend the daughter of the Chosen One had been their next clue. By the time she entered a serious relationship with the Chosen One's golden child, they were no longer concerned with her life. They had been focused on their three remaining children. There had been no point on trying to fix what was never right. In the end it would have been a waste of their time and energy.

The ordeal between Margarita and Scorpius had been an embarrassment, more so for Lucius Malfoy than themselves. They had agreed to the betrothal because Scorpius was a Pureblood after all and the alliance between both families would have been ideal for both parties involved. That she was involved with the half-blood Brian Finnegan had not been information they had been thrilled to discover. They had had eight months to come to terms with the news. Upon reflection they decided that such a thing was to be expected. Somewhere along the line they had gone wrong with their daughters. They should never have expected better of Margarita. She shared Magdalana's DNA and was bound to be just as disappointing despite her earlier promise when entering the Slytherin house. In fact, in their eyes, such disappointment should have been expected after all.

Blaise and his wife now turned all their hopes on enhancing the pureness of their bloodlines on their two sons. Dorian was too young to be seriously interested in girls, however those he had dated were from pure lineages. Despite the fact he was a Ravenclaw, he was doing his parents proud. After all, they reassured themselves that Ravenclaw was almost as superior as Slytherin House, for the Ravenclaws were applauded for intellect, not sheer dumb luck.

Their attention was currently focused on their eldest son Duanne. He was successful in his business, respected and honourable. Despite his friendship with Lily Potter, the man surrounded himself with pure-blooded Slytherins. His parents were hopeful that he would find a decent Pureblood witch to raise a family with, keeping the Zabini name pure and respectable.

However the most alarming accusation had reached their ears. An anonymous source had informed them that their son had been spending an excessive amount of time in the muggle world. Not only that, but he had actually been seen on several occasions romantically involved with a muggle girl. Blaise, not wanting to believe the information, furiously sent his House Elf Sergio to investigate.

The implications of such an event would be astronomical. The Zabini bloodline being polluted by half-bloods such as Albus Potter and Brian Finnegan was enough to worry about. Both their son's knew that blood purity was of the up most concerns and the introduction of a Mudblood would not be tolerated. Knowing this, Blaise was confused why his son would even consider getting close to a muggle. The consequences were going to be severe if the accusations were true.

Blaise awoke from his musings by a shuffling sound in the doorway. A quick glance towards his wife who sat on the settee opposite him, told him that she too was aware of the House Elf's return. With a brief exchange, the couple sat tall in their seats and focused on the House Elf lingering by the door.

"What do you have to tell us," Blaise demanded coldly.

Wincing at his master's words Sergio stepped forward wringing his hands. He held a small piece of paper with an address scrawled on it. Sergio stepped towards his master bravely, hoping that he would not be punished for delivering the news. "Forgive Sergio, Master, The accusations are true. Master Duanne has been spending time with a muggle. He is there with her now." Sergio squeaked and handed the address over to his master. The anger flared behind the eyes of his master and mistress. Sergio did not believe him to be a coward when he disappeared from sight as soon as he handed over the address. It was a smart thing to get out of there as soon as possible.

Blaise turned to his wife once the elf was out of sight. He knew what must be done. The muggle girl could not be allowed to live for thinking she was worthy of their son. He reached for his wand as his wife did the same. "We will deal with it once and for all," he declared.

His wife nodded without feeling. "We can leave no witnesses. If Duanne is there he has to be dealt with." Mrs Zabini said in a tone of finality, highlighting little regard she had for her first born. He had betrayed them after all.

Blaise gulped inwardly, showing his only regret for the fate of their son. "What has to be done, will be done," he agreed. "And the elf?"

His wife smile back callously. "It is already taken care of."

Sergio returned to his refuge in the kitchen. He liked Master Duanne and what was going to happen to the man didn't sit well with the elf. He regretted that he couldn't go against his masters and warn him. However he had made sure that he wasn't alone when they came to kill the girl. Before he had reported back, he had sent a message to the young Malfoy boy who considered Master Duanne a brother. He couldn't divulge any details, only that Master Duanne and the muggle would need his help. He made sure that the note would not reflect his disobedience of Master and Mistress Zabini.

Shaking under the pressure of what was about to unfold, Sergio poured himself a small glass of butterbeer to steady his nerves. It was the last thing he'd ever do; the poison took his life the moment he drained the glass dry.

x

After months of adjusting to their engagement, Lily and Scorpius had their date for the wedding. On the fourteenth of April Lily would cease to be Lily Luna Potter and would be known to everyone as Lily Luna Malfoy. The location had been decided on without any debate. Both felt that the fitting place for their wedding ceremony was at the spot where Scorpius had proposed eight months previously. She and Scorpius had an entire year to plan the ceremony which was perfect since the females in their families, mainly hers; truth be told, wanted to help with the decorations, menus and anything else Ginny and Astoria would let them contribute to.

Ginny and Astoria were already looking at pavilions that could be set up on the cliff top to hold all their guests, of which there would be many. Only family and close friends would be present for the ceremony but the number of guests expected for the after party more than quadrupled. The couple had spent the previous Saturday at the Burrow making the list of Lily's guests, and the Sunday at Malfoy manor coming up with a list of Scorpius' family and way they would be more than prepared when the day came. Additional school friends, family friends and colleagues only added to the guest list. Lily had been surprised at the sheer numbers of people they were going to invite. Regardless, the list was complete and Margarita was drawing up possible designs for the invitations for Lily and Scorpius to choose.

One woman who hadn't asked to be involved in the wedding plans was Narcissa Malfoy. Although Scorpius' grandmother saw Lily as part of the family, she still had her husband to deal with. True to his word, Lucius had had nothing to do with his grandson and Lily since that day in his study eight months earlier. Lucius wasn't going to the wedding and he didn't want Narcissa to attend. Lily didn't pretend to know Narcissa's reasons, but it looked as if she wasn't going to be at the wedding either. Lily hoped Narcissa would change her mind before the day came, because she knew how much having his grandmother there would mean to Scorpius. Nevertheless a seat would be reserved for her, and one for Lucius although it was doubtful that it would be filled. They were both family after all. That Lucius most likely wouldn't attend didn't bother Lily at all. She believed his presence would spoil an otherwise perfect day.

Lily was grateful for all the help from her family and didn't feel as if the plans were out of her control, since she and Scorpius always made the final decisions together. One decision Scorpius had no say in was the wedding dress, other than the fact that he would like it to be red. Over the last few weeks, Lily had perfected several designs for the dress. She had spent the morning in her flat showing the designs to Lucy, while Lucy's eight-month old son, Hope, played with his toys. They were in the middle of evaluating the merits of each design when Albus had shown up for lunch. Lily's cooking had dramatically improved, so when Albus wasn't spending lunch with Maggie, he spent it at Lily's.

"Where's Scorpius today? He left for his lunch break a while ago and I expected to see him here." Albus asked as he picked up a large bowl of chicken stew. Lucy had had her portion earlier when Lily ate homemade vegetable soup.

"He sent an owl saying something had come up. He didn't give any more information than that. I thought that meant he'd been delayed at the office." Lily replied, with growing concern. It wasn't Scorpius' usual behaviour. She respected that he kept some things to himself but something about Albus' frown concerned her.

He shrugged her off and told her it was probably nothing. With a niggling feeling at the back of their minds, Albus ate his lunch while Lily continued discussing her dress with Lucy. Lily now only worked a few hours each day during the week, since her sole role was to design, and help create the clothes with Lucy and Lucy's team of dress makers. Delia had taken over the running of the shop with the management skills she had inherited from her mother. With the teaching skills of her father, she had trained the two workers Cassie Anderson and Anya Blake so that they were almost as skilled in their jobs as the Zabini twins had been. The twins' business adventure with Domi was doing great. Lily couldn't believe how great their lives were not that Lily didn't need to fear Lucius and the twins were free of their parents.

All of a sudden, the dress design in Lily's hand slipped from her fingers. She knew something was wrong with Scorpius even before her lily pendent burned against her chest. It was something she hadn't experience before and she doubled over as the realisation of what it meant overwhelmed her.

"Lily what's wrong?" Albus demanded as he rushed to her side, his half eaten bowl of stew lay forgotten. Lucy had also risen from her place on the sofa to come to her cousin's aid.

Lily felt her love's panic. She didn't know what was happening, only that he was fighting for his life and needed her. It was an eerily similar sensation Scorpius had felt when he'd been summoned to her side during her time of need. "It's Scorpius, he's in trouble. I need to help him." She explained quickly, her eyes pleading at her brother to help. She struggled to stay in the room to explain as she fought to delay the pull of the lily pendent necklace. If she was heading into danger she wanted her brother with her. He was a trained Auror, after all. She would prefer others to come with her, but there wasn't time. She needed to go instantly.

Albus' mind worked quickly. He needed to go and assist his partner but also wanted to protect Lily. If the danger was work related then Al's dad needed to know. His dad could do with knowing anyway, especially if Lily was going to be there. Albus decided he would try and talk Lily out of it first. He wondered why the necklace had activated. Scorpius always removed his whenever he expected to be in danger. He hadn't wanted Lily to panic while he was working. Suddenly Albus realised that this attack or whatever it was couldn't have been fully expected. There would be no strategic plan in place. Help was needed now.

Knowing that Albus would do anything to help his partner and that Lily would not stomach being left behind, Lucy offered a solution. "You two go! I'll get a message to your dad to await your patronus. Send one to him once you know what's going on," Lucy said as scooped her son into her arms.

Lily agreed and held her hand out for her brother. "Take my hand Albus. Quickly."

Albus gazed back, emotions conflicted. "I'm not happy about putting you in danger."

"I'm going with or without you. My necklace will take me to him this instant!" Lily snapped and then added, "Good luck finding him without me."

Albus groaned knowing she was right. He had no idea where his friend was. "Fine. But get your wand out at the ready," Albus said as he took his sister's hand. If he had to take her with him, then he'd be damned sure she had her wand ready to react in an instance.

As a familiar sensation rushed through her, the image of her flat disappeared and merged into another. The flat was open but smaller than the one Lily was living in. It was a room she'd never been in before and was full of utensils similar to those at Jess' parents home. It was the home of a muggle.

The whole room was alight with multicoloured flashes of light. Lily's eyes widened in surprise when she realised what was going on and who was involved. Mr. and Mrs. Zabini both had a crazed look in their eyes. They stood at one end shooting curses towards Duanne and Scorpius. From a defensive position, they returned fire and a figure crouched behind them.

With a shiver of horror Lily realised the elder Zabini's were trying to curse Ollie. The cowards were aiming to kill and their target was a muggle who had no defence against them. She was disgusted but in the back of her mind, knew she should have expected this reaction. Duanne had known what would happen if his parents ever found out about Ollie; he had told Lily so. His friends had warned him to stay away from her for her safety but he'd been unable to let her go. Lily never knew that such deep rooted hate against a muggle was embedded in her friend's parents; the fact that they saw no other course of action but to commit murder was shocking, regardless the warnings that had been given in the past.

Furious that Duanne's parents had found out about Ollie, Lily's only thoughts were to protect her like she'd promised Duanne. Lily aimed her wand at he elder Zabini's.

"Get her back here!" Scorpius yelled at Albus when he saw them standing in the middle of the battlefield. Blaise sent a new curse in Ollie's direction. Acting on reflex, Lily deflected one of Blaise's curses while Albus grabbed her around the waist and dragged her to a more defendable position. Another curse was sent, but this time it was aimed at Duanne, then another aimed at Lily. Scorpius was quick to deflect and sent a Stunning spell back. It was then that Lily realised that Ollie was not the only intended target. They all were. Their wands were unwavering as they aimed at their attackers.

"Sorry I had to summon you, I couldn't get hold of anyone in any other way." Scorpius said regretfully as the battle continued.

"The psychos think that in leaving no witnesses, no one would be able to connect the crime to them. Sorry for bringing you in on this mess," Duanne's tone was lamenting yet twinged with fury, confirming Lily's suspicions.

Lily didn't have time to feel fear. "I promised that you wouldn't be alone if this moment came." Lily replied to sooth their guilt. She saw Duanne shoot a worried glance in Ollie's direction. Seeing the girl utterly terrified and huddled in a ball, Lily knew what action she was going to take. "Cover me and I'll see what I can do for her."

As Duanne, Scorpius and Albus defended their position, Lily moved towards Ollie. She was clearly shaken having not seen much magic in her life, especially not how destructive it could be. The girl was white as a sheet and shivering. "Ollie, look at me. Everything is going to be ok." Lily told her but got no response. Ollie just stared back through wide eyes. Lily cringed since it was clear the girl was terrified and going into shock. Lily conjured a blanket with a flick of her wand and wrapped it around Ollie. She mentally cursed herself for not having any potions on her that could help. They were in her bag which she'd left in her flat. Consequently they needed to get Ollie out of here and quick.

If Lily had been able to apperate, she would have taken Ollie with her in an instant. Lily mentally cursed herself again, this time for not getting the hang of the skill. It may be an uncomfortable form of transportation but it would be ideal for now. They'd have to wait for the fight to end since neither of the men would leave the others behind to face the battle one man less.

Her anger reaching a boiling point, Lily cast additional protective spells around Ollie and went to face the Zabini's. Her parents were Harry and Ginny Potter for Merlin's sake, she wouldn't just sit there while the men she loved were in danger. She joined them in a relentless assault. The three of them weren't too happy about having her there but they knew it would be hopeless to stop her. Besides, four fighters were better than three. Especially when they were aiming to stun while their opponents were out for blood.

With their advantage in numbers, Albus took the opportunity to send a message to his dad. A wisp of silver escaped Albus' wand and transformed into a phoenix. He muttered a hurried message to his father while Scorpius yelled Ollie's address so he would know where to come.

Everything happened so quickly after that: each attack, deflection and counterattack was ruthless. Many of the spells sent by the elder Zabini's were unfamiliar to Lily. She supposed they were Dark Magic, having heard from Maggie what her parents were capable of. When loud cracking noises erupted in the air, Harry, Ron and two other Aurors appeared in the room.

The Zabini's, realising they were outnumbered and wouldn't be able to kill so many witnesses, fled the scene to plan their next course of action. With a quick command from Harry's lip his team of Aurors followed the duo, while Albus and Scorpius remained to guard the 'civilians'. Lily's relief was obvious now that the fighting had stopped around them.

Duanne hurried to Ollie's side. Once he determined that no magic or debris had touched her, he enfolded her in his arms. Scorpius came to Lily's side when they moved closer to Ollie. She was still in shock and began muttering nonsense which worried Duanne.

"What's wrong with her? What can I do?" He asked helplessly.

"We should get her back to the office. She'll be safe there surrounded by Aurors." Albus suggested and Scorpius seemed to agree. "Until Duanne's parents are captured and held accountable for attempted murder, Ollie needs to be protected."

Lily agreed Ollie needed protection but she shuddered to think how Ollie would react by being around unfamiliar witches and wizards right now, even if they were there to protect her.

"No." Lily disagreed, shaking her head. "She needs to be somewhere familiar." Lily declared, knowing that if she was in Ollie's place, she would want to be among friends.

She looked up at her brother and Scorpius. They were very professional, their senses straining to alert them to any new presence. She knew that although they were focused on Ollie, they were prepared to act in her defence at a moment's notice. Lily took note that apart from a few scorch marks was amazed that the five of them had managed to dodge the worst of the spells. She couldn't say the same for Ollie's flat; it definitely looked like a war zone. Ollie wouldn't want to stay here any more than she would want to be in the Auror Department.

Turning her attention back to Duanne, who was muttering soothingly to Ollie, Lily thought of a solution. "We'll take her to my flat. She'll be safe there since all the wards are still in place. Plus she's been there before."

"That's a good idea" Scorpius agreed, his hand reaching out to rest on Lily's shoulder. "We'll go in two groups. Albus take Lily back to her flat but be careful. I doubt they would have gone there but you never know. Lily, when it is clear activate the necklace and we'll follow. Is that ok?"

Lily nodded despite her discomfort about leaving Scorpius behind. However, she took her brother's hand and shrugged those thoughts to one side; this was about protecting Ollie.

The flat was empty but it wasn't long before the five of them were there, Ollie held protectively in Duanne's arms. "Take her to the spare room, she'll be able to rest there." Lily suggested and Duanne carried his girl into the room. Her condition hadn't changed but then Lily hadn't expected it to. "I'll send for Victoire, she'll be able to help her. I'm sure of it."

Duanne only nodded as he lay Ollie on the bed and moved in position next to her. He muttered soothing words to Ollie as she started upwards blankly and her breathing became erratic. It pained Lily to see her friend in such a state of helplessness. She left the room to contact Victoire while Albus went to the Auror Department. He knew Harry and the other Aurors would end up there, so he wanted to be there to get an update. Scorpius remained in Lily's flat.

When Victoire arrived she gave Ollie a sleeping tonic. It would be a while before she would awake and Victoire, Duanne and Scorpius stayed by her side. Lily sought sanctuary in her own room. She stood gazing out of the window and watched the people below. They were oblivious to the suffering people above them were experiencing. Lily had no idea how much time passed.

"Lily, are you ok?" She heard Scorpius ask as he stood at her bedroom door. She didn't know how to answer him. Things like this weren't supposed to happen to anyone, let alone her friends. Lily turned away from the window to find Scorpius standing before her.

"Is she any better?" Lily asked quietly. Scorpius brushed his hands against her arms. His hands were warm against her skin. She felt cold despite the warmth of the late October evening.

Scorpius saw the sorrow in her eyes. His arm came around her. He stroked her back through the crisp material of her shirt. "Victoire seems to think so. She believes the sedatives will wear off soon. Ollie will be awake and we'll find out." He explained softly.

"That's good," she squeaked, her voice failing. It was good news but her legs were numb and began to waver. He pulled her closer to him. Her icy body was engulfed with his warmth and she buried her face against his chest. Her arms wrapped around his waist as she found her voice. "That's very good. It's hard to see her like that; to see both of them like that." He held her tighter.

"I know what you mean. I remember those weeks you spent in the hospital wing after McLaggen-. Well if I continue to think about him I may do something that I'll end up regretting. But you - you lay there so quiet and still. I was terrified that you wouldn't wake up. At the time it didn't matter what had happened between us at the ball, I just needed to know you were ok. I was always making excuses to go to the hospital wing so I could check on your condition. It was easier if Teddy was there, there was nothing suspicious about seeing him, however I was forever faking injuries when it was only Victoire. Something I learnt my father used to do to get your father in trouble." He finished with a smirk.

Lily gazed up at her fiancé. "I never knew you visited." she whispered and her told her she wasn't meant to know. They held onto each other tightly. The longer she spent in his embrace, the more aware she became of the strength in his arms and the hardness of his chest beneath her cheek. Her pulse quickened and Lily was surprised by how her body reacted to him, especially given the circumstances. There was nowhere else on earth she'd rather be, nowhere she felt safer. Knowing that their friend needed them right now, Lily reluctantly pulled away from him. "We better be there when she awakes."

Agreeing, Scorpius led Lily towards the spare room where Ollie slept. Duanne was still on the bed next to her, not wanting to leave her side for a moment, while Victoire sat beside the bed observing her condition.

"Her breathing is much less erratic." Victoire observed. "She'll be waking soon."

"This is all my fault." Duanne sighed "I knew it was too dangerous for us to be together. I should have let her go." He cursed and looked disgusted with himself.

"No!" An outburst came from Ollie. She was still lying on the bed; her eyes instead of being unfocused, looked directly at Duanne. The thought of loosing Duanne had snapped her out of her shock. She still felt weak but it wasn't going to stop her from having her say. Lily and Scorpius moved closer to Ollie as they sighed in relief that she had broke out of the state of semi consciousness.

"Ollie?" Duanne asked concerned and sat up so he could examine her condition. She looked angry but other than that, she seemed healthy again.

Ollie shook her head and moved to sit up in bed. Her pale hand moved to cup his cheek. It was a dramatic contrast to his dark skin. "You shouldn't have let me go," she said lovingly. "You warned me it could be dangerous although I didn't fully understand-"

"I'm so sorry," he interrupted. His tone was anguished but the relief in it was evident as the muscles in his shoulders relaxed.

"It's ok. I understand now and it's ok." Ollie soothed.

Duanne shook his head in disbelief. "But I should have never put you in danger."

Ollie exhaled an inaudible sigh. "Duanne. I love you and will do whatever it takes for us to be together." She told him sternly.

"But-"

She placed her fingertip against his lips. "Stop with the buts. I know what can happen now and will be better prepared for it."

Since the last thing Duanne wanted to do was break up with Ollie, even if it assured her safety, he gave in. "Ok, but I still need to keep you safe." he compromised. "Until _they_ are caught, I need to protect you."

"She can stay here for as long as it's needed." Lily suggested, drawing their attention to her. She felt awkward, as if she shouldn't be intruding, but she held the solution in keeping Ollie safe.

"Thanks Lily." Duanne said and Ollie managed to smile. Although she didn't know Lily well, Duanne had spoken about her often. She was pleased to have the redhead's support given everything that had been said about her and what she had observed. Judging by her love's earlier comment about leaving her for her own safety, Ollie was glad to have Lily on her side. She may need it.

Later when things had settled and Victoire had returned to her family, Albus returned. He explained that Blaise and his wife had disappeared. However, the Aurors were dedicated in their pursuit and confident they would be caught. Lily was happy to have Ollie with her until her safety could be assured. Trying to make Ollie's stay as comfortable as possible, Lily gave Ollie muggle clothes from the store supplies and Maggie visited later with Dorian. They were appalled by their parents' actions but not surprised. They expressed their regret for not being there to help and were more than happy to assist in their capture. Dorian finally saw his parents for what they were. He would be returning to Hogwarts in a few days since the Easter holidays were coming to an end. After that he would spend his holidays either with one of his siblings or at Malfoy manor.

A team was sent to Ollie's flat to remove the evidence of a fight and Ollie quit her job. It didn't bother her much though; she'd never loved her job, it was just a way to put food on the table. Scorpius had lived with Lily since their engagement and Duanne visited everyday. Although it was crowded with the four of them living in Lily's flat, the atmosphere was comfortable.

What did bother Ollie was the huge adjustments she had to make with living with a witch and wizards. The appliances she was used to using were absent and in their place stood magical versions. Thomas Warrington and Terence Goyle made it their mission to bring muggle objects such as a television, mobile phone and computer for Ollie, since she couldn't use the magical objects. They had to make modifications to the equiptment because beong around magic increased the occurance of technical faults.

Boredom and gratitude resulted in Ollie helping with wedding plans and help out by working in Lily's shop. Duanne made sure that additional wards were in place to ensure his parents couldn't get to Ollie. They were too arrogant to send someone else to do their dirty work and Duanne knew that. Ollie developed a better relationship with Duanne's siblings and friends, and it wasn't long before she felt right at home and part of the family. Over the months that followed, Duanne proposed to Ollie while Rose and Harrison also celebrated their engagement. Come Septembe,r Albus found the courage to propose to Maggie and no one was surprised when she happily accepted.

A week before Christmas, Blaise and his wife were captured, charged for attempted murder and sentenced for life in Azkaban. The security was finally lapsed and although Ollie was safe to do whatever she wished, she chose to remain with Lily. With Lily's assistance she set up an online shop to sell Lily's muggle clothing range to muggles. It kept her mind busy and gave her some access to the world she left behind. Early into the new year, Ollie and Duanne got married. It was a quiet affair but exactly what the two of them wanted. They bought a house on the next street to Lily, since Ollie decided she loved the magical community too much to move far. Several weeks later Terence Goyle married Anneli Frey with Thomas Warrington as the best man. Lily and Scorpius attended both weddings and was still surprised that she could get along with men she once despised. Lily's twenty-first birthday came and went. She opted out of a huge party since he wedding was approaching and Lily became increasingly nervous.

The new year, however, didn't begin well for others; specifically, the new year didn't begin well for Narcissa Malfoy. She had waited for Lucius to come to his senses, particularly after the arrest of the Zabinis, concerning their only grandson's wedding to Lily Potter. She had appealed to him to extend the olive branch, close the gap of estrangement and make an effort to know the Potter girl. In her mind, they narrowly avoided such ties to the Zabinis; she had had no idea on how much Dark Magic Blaise and his wife had been immersed in. With Lucius' past still haunting them, it would have been catastrophic to have been so wholly connected to them; it was clear now why Draco was very neutral and distant with his former classmate.

Narcissa had tried every tactic to get Lucius to see reason but she was reaching her boiling point. After the whole Zabini debacle, she waited, dropped hints, suggestions and at one point she actually demanded furiously that he talk to Scorpius. The wedding day was fast approaching and she didn't want her and Lucius to miss out on Scorpius's wedding day. Her biggest fear was losing the family she had fought to keep together; it didn't help that both Lucius and Scorpius were living up to the Malfoy pride, each refusing to acknowledge the other. And because of this estrangement, Narcissa was included in it as well. She knew Astoria was fully involved with wedding preparations and even though she had to stand by her husband, it saddened her to be missing out on her only grandson's wedding. She found twinges of envy whenever Astoria discussed the preparations.

Astoria always had a story concerning the future bride and her family whenever she came home; she and Ginny Potter were becoming close and was absolutely enamored with Lily Potter. As Narcissa sat in her private reading room, she recalled the future Mrs. Scorpius Malfoy; Lily Potter was defiant and loyal. She was also cunning and very intelligent. She could see why her grandson was in love with her: she would never let anyone tell her how to live her life and she would never let anyone close to her down. She was fiercely devoted to her family; she had had overheard that during their years at Hogwarts, both Scorpius and Lily were involved for awhile but she had been afraid of the backlash she might have endured from her family, thus ending their relationship for awhile until after Hogwarts.

Narcissa knew that young Lily Potter was an ideal choice for her grandson; they balanced the other perfectly, despite her less than perfect lineage. Then again, she reminded herself on what her sister Andromeda told her: Harry Potter was the son of James Potter who came from a line of well distinguished bloodlines, possibly dating back to the Peverell family. The fact that the first Lily Potter was a muggleborn no longer mattered to Narcissa; all mattered to her was that her grandson was happy and all she wants now is to be a part of it. She stood by her husband long enough. She will be going to the wedding**.**

**thank you for reading. please review and let me know what you think.**


	53. C53: Dream Day

**As you may have noticed I re-uploaded chapter 52. From feedback I realized that I had uploaded the draft version and not the final version of the chapter. The new addition has more about Lily's family and friends and is beefed out a bit more. I know it is a chore to read this story :P but please can you reread chapter 52 or this one may confuse you. I apologize and thank you. It was terribly silly of me and I hope that bribing you with another chapter will make you forgive me.**

**Chapter 53: Dream Day**

Narcissa Malfoy walked gracefully towards the various gardens to find her husband, her skirt whipping around her ankles in the gentle wind. She'd given her husband enough time to come to senses but he was being too bloody stubborn and she needed to do something about it. It didn't take her long to reach the group of buildings where Lucius had once held his collection of dark objects. A collection he had promptly sold as soon as their grandson had completed his training at the Ministry. However, only Narcissa was aware of this fact, and Lucius didn't want the rest of the family to know.

Although Lucius would never admit it, even to himself, Narcissa knew he was proud of their grandson. He wouldn't have sold his coveted artifacts otherwise. He explained his actions by trying to convince himself that he didn't want to be caught with the items in his possession since he didn't trust his grandson not to tell Harry Potter; Hermione Weasley or any other members of that bothersome family. If that had truly been the case then Narcissa knew her husband would have found another place to hide them.

Narcissa opened the door of a building that was as elegantly decorated as her home. Lucius had made it his sanctuary where he would come to brood, more so ever since he found out that Scorpius was resolute and anxious to marry Lily Potter. Lucius sat in a large room he'd converted into a new study. He hadn't returned to his previous study since his failed attempt to betroth Scorpius to Margarita Zabini.

"What are you doing here and why are you dressed like that?" Lucius called out when he spotted his wife standing in the doorway, wearing an emerald green formal dress.

"I've come to tell you that you are a foolish man who's putting his own pride above the welfare of his family. And not for the first time, I might add." Lucius stared open mouthed at his wife, rendered utterly speechless. Narcissa continued her rant so that he knew exactly how she felt about him. "Now I love you, but I thought you would have learned from your past mistakes. Your pride has brought this family to the edge of destruction too many times. I've tried to be patient and wait for you to come to your senses but I see I've been waiting in vain. I will not allow this to continue and you will not answer for me. Do you understand?"

Lucius closed his mouth, gazing at his wife suspiciously. "Why are you dressed like that?" he repeated.

Narcissa frowned, wondering if he'd listened to her at all. She was furious at him for what he was putting her family through. He was making her feel uncomfortable being around her family and she wouldn't stand for that any longer. "Now listen closely because I will only say this once and don't even think about interrupting me," she added when Lucius opened his mouth to speak. "I have a wedding to attend to and you cannot stop me from going. It is our only grandson's wedding and I refuse to miss out on it. If you don't see how important it is to attend, then more the fool you are. I refuse to be kept from my family and future great-grandchildren because you don't like Arthur Weasley. I doubt he's thrilled about being related to you but you don't hear of him trying to prevent Lily and Scorpius from being together. He knows that they are in love, just like Draco and Astoria are in love. It's about time you realize that love and not pride is the most important thing a person can have. Do you want to be like the Zabinis' and lose your family because of your ancient prejudices? If you do, then that is your choice. Just as it is my choice to walk away and be with my family."

With her final words said Narcissa Malfoy Disapparated, leaving her husband with a lot to brood over; he was in shock on the fact that his serene wife had spoken to him in such defiance. Deep down, Lucius knew she was right: he was the more foolish and the fact she had compared him to that muggle-obsessed fool Weasley had hit him low. But he had the Malfoy name to live up to; he cannot stand by and watch his only grandson marry a girl of such polluted lineage, despite the fact it was costing him those that he did love, albeit he was cold and aloof on showing such emotion. And despite the fact his choices troubled his heart since he was not going to witness such an important even in his grandson's life; he refused to be moved by such emotions.

Lily and Scorpius' wedding finally arrived for the anxious couple; the ceremony was scheduled for the evening. If everything went according to plan, the couple would become man and wife just as the sun set over the North Sea. However, that was several hours from now as it was currently five o'clock in the afternoon. The setting had been prepared for the event in anticipation for all the guests to arrive.

The beautifully lush cliff top where Scorpius had proposed twenty months earlier had been divided into three distinct areas. In the area that looked out onto the North Sea was an archway covered in red and white calla lilies. There was a long aisle leading up to the archway; at either side there were rows of chairs covered in white satin. To the left, there was a large pavilion where guests could eat, dance and enjoy themselves. While to the right, there was a large magical tent that held rooms where guests could relax and prepare for the evening, in addition to separate suites for the bride and groom.

It was outside the bridal suite that Scorpius stood looking irritated. "Will you let me in just for a minute?" Scorpius demanded through the crack in the slightly opened door. It was not much of a barrier in itself, but Lily's pest of a friend was in the way. Scorpius glared at the little blonde imp who refused to cower under the intense Malfoy glower.

Delia's courage, or as some would say foolishness, would have made a Gryffindor proud. "Na-ah. There is no way I am letting you in here," Delia chimed, wagging her wand at the former Slytherin.

Scorpius growled and Delia smirked. Scorpius could probably get around any spell the former Hufflepuff sent his way, but she was Lily's friend and that restrained his instinct to force his way in there. Sensing that Scorpius was quickly growing tired of Delia's determination to keep him from Lily, Jess intervened hoping that logic would appeal to him. It would not end well for either of them if they started a fight, which was a distinct possibility as they only tolerated each other for Lily's sake.

"Listen to me, Scorpius. It is considered bad luck to see the bride before the wedding. It is a tradition which is held by Muggles, as well as Witches and Wizards alike. You have all the time in the world to see her after this evening but for now, you will have to go."

Scorpius now glared at Jess who stood beside Delia. "I just want to see her for a moment," Scorpius stressed. He just needed to see his love and to hear her voice. He wasn't nervous about marrying her, for all he wanted was just to look into her warm hazel eyes and know that she was happy. "What harm can it do? It is not as if anything can stop us from getting married today, because technically she is _already _my wife." All of Lily's friends and family had heard about the power of Lily's engagement ring, thus they were not surprised.

"That doesn't count, Scor," Ollie called out from inside the tent where Lily and a few of her friends and family were relaxing before they got ready for the ceremony. The day had been planned out so thoroughly, that there was a surprisingly calm atmosphere. That was of course, until Scorpius and Delia had locked themselves in a battle of words and stubbornness.

"You had the opportunity to be husband and wife back then but you chose to continue as if you were engaged," Jess replied calmly, smiling now that she had backup from a girl who was more Scorpius' friend than Lily's. It seemed to put more weight behind the words as the intensity of Scorpius' glare lessened.

"And with that you lost the right to see Lily before the wedding," Delia continued, clearly enjoying herself too much. Jess stifled a groan, hoping that Delia's smugness didn't trigger any rash behaviour on Scorpius' part.

Meanwhile Lily sat surrounded by people. Maggie had her hand against Lily's mouth to prevent her from shouting out. Lily managed to peel Maggie's hand off her and scrambled to her feet, since she wasn't happy about being kept apart from Scorpius either. Margarita grabbed her from one side while Rose and Lucy reached for the other. Lily found out she was unable to move and sighed.

"Don't make me use a body-binding curse on you, Potter..." Roxie threatened her youngest cousin.

Lily sighed again. She knew they were not above using force when it came to upholding traditions, however unreasonable Lily thought they were. "Look. I promise not to let him see me but I can talk to him from behind the door, can't I?" Lily slightly huffed as she attempted to reason with the rest of her family.

She saw the women exchange glances with each other and Lily rolled her eyes. Her friends and cousins began to confer amongst themselves to try and accommodate Lily's request, while holding up to the traditions. Thankfully, they all quickly agreed that Lily could go to the door to speak with Scorpius, but only with Victoire and Roxie as escorts. Victoire, because she was the only cousin Lily would obey without question and Roxie, because if Lily tried to do something sneaky, she would come up with the most creative consequences.

Shaking her head slightly at their demands, Lily slowly approached the door with Victoire and Roxie on both her sides. "Hey Scorpius." She said loud enough for him to hear. Scorpius immediately tried to enter the room but Lily stopped him. "No, we'll keep this traditional! Besides, you're not the one who has to remain in here, practically hostage." Lily said glancing back at the others who watched her every move. The odds were not in her favour. "And I don't fancy the idea of being turned into a goose on my wedding day. I won't be able to fit into my dress" Lily said resignedly, sparing Roxie a quick glance.

Roxie grinned and muttered that she was thinking of turning Lily into a doe rather not a goose. Lily stared at her cousin. A doe may be more graceful a creature but she still wouldn't fit into her wedding dress. Roxie did manage to lighten the mood by explaining she was actually considering turning Lucius into a goose if he turned up to cause trouble. Both Lily and Scorpius allowed themselves to enjoy that imagery for a moment.

Ignoring her cousin's further ramblings, Lily continued explaining to her man why he couldn't see her yet. "Anyway, I don't want you to see me with all this gunk on my face. Apparently this muck can make me beautiful but I'm feeling rather hideous at the moment." Lily huffed again, this time in annoyance.

Scorpius sighed as the girls protested against Lily's comment, saying that the paste wasn't muck but was one of Dominique's and the Zabini twins' best selling products. "You are already beautiful and I'd think that even if you had gunk on your face." He laughed, and then took a deep breath. If this was the only contact he'd have with her before the ceremony, then he'd make the most of it. He only wished there weren't witnesses.

Scorpius' questions came out in a rush. "How are you, love? Are you ready for today? Is there anything else I can do to make today perfect? You're not getting cold feet are you?"

Lily chuckled. "I'm fine, Scorpius. I'm looking forward to marrying you so there is no need to worry about any cold feet. I only need you to be there for the day to be perfect." Lily heard a few gagging sounds and chuckles from behind her but ignored them. She would deal with them later.

"Do you realize how cheesy that sounds, love?" Scorpius said, finally smiling, although he was still gutted that he was unable to see her.

Lily smiled at the humour in Scorpius' voice. "I like cheese. Now go to your room. No doubt Albus and Duanne will be freaking out since you managed to give them the slip. You better get back before they decide to search the country for you and I'll see you at the altar."

"Ok," Scorpius sighed reluctantly and turned to leave.

"Wait!" Lily called out suddenly and Scorpius turned back towards the door. "You don't have any cold feet do you?" She was all of a sudden worried if there was another reason he'd come to see her.

"No, my feet are lovely and warm," he assured her and she heard the honesty in his voice. "I love you."

"Love you too."

"And I love you three," Delia joked. "Now go! No boys allowed," she demanded with finality in her sweet but no nonsense tone.

With a final glare at Delia, Scorpius returned to his room muttering all the dark things he would like to do to the blonde, if she wasn't Lily's friend and if he'd turned out more like his grandfather than his mother. He felt sorry for Hugo who fancied himself in love with the blonde haired wench.

Listening as his footsteps faded beyond hearing, Lily turned to her friends looking annoyed, although it was difficult to gauge her expression through the facemask. The group of women were all watching her and a few were even shaking their heads. "Was that really necessary?" Lily sighed in disappointment.

"You'll appreciate it when you see him standing at the altar," Lucy assured her younger cousin with a wink, to which all her married cousins and Ollie agreed.

Molly grinned and added. "Besides, we were kept apart from our husbands before our weddings so the same rule applies to you. I'm surprised Grandma Weasley isn't holding guard outside your room."

"It is probably because of your freaky ring thing," Amelia chuckled. "But we're not letting you off that easily."

Lily huffed and met the gaze of her unmarried friends and Rose in turn. "I'll be making sure you stay away from your men the morning before your weddings." Lily muttered darkly, causing everyone to laugh bar two. Since Rose and Maggie were the ones engaged, they paled at Lily's threatening tone. Ollie made a quick gesture to comfort her sister-in-law whilst also being grateful that she and Duanne were already wed.

"Don't bother complaining, Lily. We're not going to change our minds on this," Dominique added with a stern look. Any further protests Lily considered voicing died in her throat. "Now get into that shower and wash that paste off. Maggie needs to start on your hair," Dominique ordered.

"We better head out as well. We need to start getting ready now as well." Izzie, Freddie's wife, explained and hugged Lily goodbye. Lily remembered the first time she met Freddie's wife. It had been prior to them dating, when she was his assistant at the shop; always dropping things and falling over whenever he was around. It was nice that Fred realised the girl was clumsy because she was crazy about him. They were great together and were thinking about starting a family.

"Chris will be wondering where I am. He doesn't cope well with being left alone with Perci and Freya too long." Molly sighed as she imagined her husband tearing his hair out over their children. Their two-year old son liked to hide in the most impossible of places and their two-month old daughter whinged a lot.

"I'll be back later with the dresses," Lucy assured Lily and followed her sister out of the room. The remaining women grumbled that they hadn't been able to see the wedding dress or bridesmaids dresses yet, the fact which allowed Lily to fully grin for the first time since she was held in captivity;she and Lucy had decided to keep them secret from everyone. Even Lily's bridesmaids Jess, Delia, Margarita and her maid of honour Maggie hadn't seen what they were wearing. Although they were anxious to know what they'd be wearing, they would have been more concerned if the dresses were designed by anyone other than Lily. They trusted her to create stunningly elegant outfits for them, as she had proved numerous times in the past.

People started filtering out of the room so that only Lily and her four bridesmaids remained in the tent. "I will mention to your mother that we've gone and will bring Aimee before the ceremony. She is so excited about being the flower girl," Victoire told Lily and kissed her on the cheek. Victoire was overjoyed that her youngest cousin had found happiness in love. Knowing that all of her cousins were happily matched with loving partners had Victoire proud and able to enjoy her own happiness fully in a way that had her glowing even more than her Veela blood did. She blew kisses to the rest of the bridal party as she made her way to Teddy and her children.

Lily watched the majority of her bridal party leave, and then she headed for the shower. She was surprised by how calm she was. She'd expected herself to be nervous and stressing over every little detail. Instead she was excited that the day had finally come. The twenty-month wait before their official ceremony suddenly felt too long. Lily reflected on her relationship with Scorpius as she scrubbed the paste off her face and washed her hair. Her life could have gone down a totally different path so many times, it was a wonder how this day was even happening. Dumbledore was right when he had said that love was the most powerful magic of all.

Ginny Potter sat in an arm chair as her husband paced around the room. They were both already dressed for the ceremony. Ginny wore an amber red dress which matched the strands of her hair perfectly, while Harry wore a black suit and red shirt that his daughter had asked him to wear. "It can't be this day already, can it?" Harry muttered in amazement. He hadn't been this out of sorts when his son James had gotten married, but this was his little girl; his princess was going to be walking down the aisle and belong to someone else. He clutched a photograph of him and Lily when she was a toddler. "When did she get all grown up?"

Ginny got up to wrap her arms around her husband's waist. "Some time ago I'm afraid. For me this day has come a long while after I expected it to. When I would see the two of them together, I used to expect them to confess they had eloped just like our Domi did."

Harry shuddered at the idea. It was bad enough that his daughter was getting married at twenty one, but had she indeed eloped he would have been horrified. Ginny smiled as if reading her husband's thoughts. "I was her age when we got married and you were a year younger than Scorpius. Our parents were even younger than that, getting married as soon as they left school."

Harry frowned. "Those were different times. In our parent's time people got married young because they treated every minute as precious. They lived in fear that Voldemort or his followers would prematurely end their time together. With us… well, we both had to grow up so soon. What with the war and then the struggle to rebuild the magical community after so much loss; your brother, Teddy's parents…" Harry's voice trailed off.

"It hasn't changed so much Harry. Our daughter knows her mind and Scorpius is a decent young man and loves our daughter. They could continue as they have been going, for months or even years, but they are ready for this," Ginny said kindly when there was a knock on the door. Both paused and turned towards the door. Ginny called out to come in and Victoire poked her head through the opened door to update her on Lily before she left. "Are you going to be okay if I go to see Lily?" Ginny asked Harry.

He nodded. "I'll go and see Ron and Hermione until I'm needed. I promise not to have anything stronger than a Butterbeer," Harry needed a drink to sooth his nerves but would never forgive himself if he was careless and ended up drinking too much. Sitting in the afternoon sun with a cold pint didn't seem like such a bad idea.

Knowing that it would do her husband good to be with his closest friends, Ginny went to see if there was anything she could do for her daughter. Margarita greeted her at the door. "Come in, Mrs Potter," she called as she opened the door completely. Although Ginny was fully dressed for the evening, Margarita and the other bridesmaids were still in dressing gowns as they waited for Lucy to return with their dresses.

Ginny smiled back. "You can call be Ginny, Margarita. Now where's the bride?" She asked, looking around the room for her daughter.

"She's just in the shower," Margarita explained and made way for Ginny to enter the bridal suite. It was partitioned off into three rooms; a sitting room, dressing room and a shower room. Delia and Jess were in the sitting room waiting for Lucy to return while Maggie was in the dressing room waiting for Lily to finish her shower.

"No I'm not; I just got into the dressing room and into Maggie's claws!" Lily called out. "Come in, Mum. Ouch Maggie! Be gentle with the hair for Merlin's sake. If you carry on like that I'll be bald!" she screeched. Eager to know what Lily was complaining at, the girls followed Ginny into the other room.

Lily sat in a chair, her hair dried magically as Maggie tugged and curled it. "Stop being such a wuss, Lily." Maggie scolded and smiled at the others when they entered. "Now keep your head still so I can weave these gems into your hair."

"I'll be quiet if you'll be gentle," Lily grumbled and winced as Maggie tugged at her hair again. Ginny had to stifle a chuckle; at this current moment Lily and Harry resembled each other so much in personality that Ginny wished Harry could be here and reassured his little girl is still the same.

Maggie turned a frustrated glare on Jess. "This is your fault, Jess," she accused. "Making us watch that Prince of Persia Muggle film. If you hadn't then Lily wouldn't want to model her hair off that first shot of Princess Tamina."

"I don't regret it. It's a good film and well worth watching," Jess replied and walked calmly to sit in a spare chair to start applying her makeup as Margarita had taught her.

"You mean Jake Gyllenhaal is worth watching," Delia smirked, causing a few chuckles. The girls may all be hopelessly in love with their men but it didn't stop them from ogling the American Muggle actor. Although it was a little disconcerting that he would be the same age as their fathers now,it didn't stop their constant shrieks of glee whenever he would grace the screen.

"Girls, please." Ginny sighed.

"Sorry, Mum. You see what I have to put up with. Ouch! That was on purpose!" Lily complained. Maggie's smile turned smug since that last tug had been indeed intentional. The five women sat and talked while Maggie finished Lily's hair and Margarita sat beside Jess, waiting to add a little more makeup to enhance Lily's natural features.

"So when am I going to see this dress that you and Lucy have kept secret?" Ginny asked her daughter once her and her friends' hair and makeup were completed.

"Lucy is bringing the dress soon," Lily replied as she examined her reflection. The potion and makeup had done wonders. She still looked like herself, only an airbrushed version. It wasn't something she normally would use it on a daily occurrence, but as this was a special occasion; she wanted to look stunning for her husband.

"No, Lucy is bringing it now," Lucy corrected, successfully having sneaked in through the back way of the room with the five dresses. The women headed to the other room to join Lucy and see the gowns Lily and Lucy had created.

Lily's mermaid styled wedding dress was a deep red colour that fanned out to reveal the white lace under skirt that trailed behind. The strapless gown had corset back straps and white beaded detail under the breast, as well as white lilies stitched to where the dress stopped being fitted and fanned out. It was a bold statement for a wedding dress but it was perfect for Lily. The bridesmaid dresses, although in different styles to suite their various body-shapes were all white. All except for Maggie's maid of honour dress, this was white with red details under the breast to compliment the wedding dress. Lucy had also brought the bouquet of flowers they each would carry. Lily would carry a selection of white calla lilies tied together in a white bow, while the others had smaller bouquets of red lilies.

The young women all expressed their delight for their respective dresses and were eager to get into them. Looking towards the clock, Lily realized she would soon be walking up to isle to join Scorpius. Lily felt the first prickling of nerves and carefully donned the dress.

"Oh, you look so beautiful. Girls, can we have a moment please?" Ginny choked out when she saw her daughter in her wedding dress for the first time. The girls nodded. Lucy left the room to continue getting ready while the others moved into the dressing room to give Lily and her mother some privacy.

"What's wrong?" Lily asked, seeing the tears in her mother's eyes.

Ginny held her hands over her heart as she gazed at her daughter, her deep brown eyes taking in every detail. "You just look so grown up and… I'm so happy for you both." Ginny wrapped her arms tightly around her daughter, taking care not to crease the dress.

"You know I'll always be yours and dad's little girl, don't you Mum?"

"I do." Ginny nodded when their hug ended. She began dabbing the tears from her eyes with a handkerchief. "I'm just being silly, that's all."

"Do you think I'm getting married too soon?" Lily suddenly blurted out. She didn't feel too young, and many witches and wizards got married around her age. But Jess always stressed that she wouldn't even consider marriage until she was at least twenty-five years old, much to the annoyance of Louis who was ready to settle down.

"No, I don't." Ginny replied quickly, too quickly in Lily's opinion. "Honestly, I don't." Ginny added when she saw her daughter's scepticism. "If you were different and Scorpius was any other man, then I would probably say that yes, you are too young," Ginny said truthfully. "But I know you both too well and have seen how you have matured over the years. You may be twenty-one and twenty-three years old, but you both act a lot older than that. I know that Scorpius is right for you, and you are at the right time in your lives to get married."

Lily hugged her mother again but held her tighter this time. "Why, are you having doubts?" Ginny asked as she soothingly rubbed her daughter's back.

Lily shook her head and beamed at her mother. "Not at all. I just wanted to make sure you were okay with it. You've been so helpful in planning today but you never said how you feel about me getting married. In fact, it didn't occur to me to ask you or Dad," Lily said softly, a little shamefaced.

Ginny chuckled. "Don't worry about me or your dad. We know how much Scorpius loves you and how much you love him. Even an idiot can see that, or should be able to see that," she added with an edge to her tone.

"I hope that wasn't a reference about Lucius," Lily grinned. Neither she nor Scorpius had seen the man since the day they announced their engagement.

"What if it was?" Ginny frowned, not at all pleased with the older Malfoys. "Lucius may be too stubborn to accept the match but at the very least, he and Narcissa should be here for one of the most important days in their grandson's life." Disapproval dripped from every word and Ginny Potter had to fight the urge to hex something.

Lily shifted uncomfortably. Although Scorpius kept saying that he didn't want his grandfather there and that he wasn't bothered that his grandmother had sided with him, Lily sensed differently. He would occasional get that faraway look in his eyes when they planned for today. "I'd hoped Narcissa would have arrived by now," Lily said sadly and Ginny agreed.

"Aunt Lili don't I look pretty, like a princess?" Aimee declared as she rushed into the tent.

"Sorry, I turned my back for one second and this little rascal bolted for your room." Victoire explained as she joined them moments after her vivacious four-year-old burst through the tent.

"I'm not a rascal, mummy. I'm too beautiful! Aren't I Aunt Lili?" Aimee retorted and twirled around to show everyone her new dress. Coming to a halt she peered up at Lily with wide bluebell eyes.

Melting at the cuteness before her, Lily bent to pinch her goddaughter's cheek. "You are the most beautiful girl here," Lily told her, causing Aimee to flash her cheeky grin. The commotion had Maggie and the others returning from the other room as they too melted over Aimee's cuteness. Lily knew that Victoire's entrance meant that it was time for the ceremony to start. "We better take our seats, Aunt Ginny," Victoire said and after a final hug between mother and daughter, Ginny and Victoire went to their seats. The others followed as Lily's father was waiting outside for them.

Harry beamed when he saw his daughter emerge from the bridal tent, his emerald eyes twinkling. Lily beamed back when he kissed her on the cheek and told her she looked beautiful and linked her arm with his. "You look rather dashing yourself," Lily said and her dad blushed. Lily was glad it was her father with the heated cheeks rather than herself. A pink face would not go well with her red dress.

"Let's get this show on the road!" Maggie announced and handed Aimee the basket of lily heads she was to scatter down the aisle. "You know what to do, just like we practiced," Maggie gently reminded Aimee, who nodded back enthusiastically. Maggie then handed out the bouquets of calla lilies and they took their places and walked towards where the guests sat. Aimee led the way, followed by Jess, Delia, Margarita and Maggie. Lily and Harry followed several paces behind side by side.

Lily's nerves were gone and replaced with excitement as soon as she heard the music start. Ahead of her, Lily saw the guests as they stood to watch her entrance. She spotted every member of her large family. Jaz and Fernando were also there, having come over from Spain for the day. Lily saw Margarita wave to Brian who sat with Chester and Anya Blake, one of Lily's employees; Chester had broken up with Coleen Creevey again only four weeks ago. Lily also recognized the faces of other school friends she'd been close with. Thomas Warrington and Terence Goyle were there with Goyle's wife and a few of Scorpius' friends. Duanne was absent from the crowd since he was Scorpius' best man and stood by the altar. Duanne's brother Dorian sat with the guests next to Ollie. Although Duanne was now his legal guardian, he chose to live with the Malfoys when not at Hogwarts. He didn't want to get in Duanne and Ollie's way since they were adjusting to married life. Dorian always felt in their way. Lily also recognized her least favourite teacher, Scorpius's aunt Daphne, who stood next to a woman who was most likely the Greengrass sister Lily had never met before. One particular face in the crowd made Lily smile. Narcissa Malfoy stood there having made it just in time for the ceremony. Lucius Malfoy remained notably absent.

Aimee took her job seriously as she walked up the isle scattering the flowers. Once Lily reached the back row of her guests, she ignored them and had eyes only for Scorpius. Lily had to struggle to control her pace. She wanted to rush to Scorpius' side, but instead she took deep breaths and matched each breath with a step forward. That way she was able to get a good look at Scorpius' face as he stood under the archway of red and white calla lilies.

She remembered wishing that when this day came, she'd be walking towards a man who looked at her the way Teddy had gazed at Victoire years before. Lily wasn't disappointed; for love was painted so blatantly on Scorpius' perfectly pale face. His silvery eyes glistened in the dimming sunlight as he gazed upon her. She didn't need to be a mind reader to know what he was thinking. Just as he most likely felt as if he was the luckiest man on the planet, she felt as if she was the luckiest woman in the world.

Lily heard many gasps of amazement from the crowd and a few sobs but she didn't turn her head to see where they were coming from. She just gazed into her love's eyes and her father took her to his side before he went to sit next to Ginny.

"Ladies and Gentlemen," a kind-faced witch sang, "We are gathered here on this beautiful day, to celebrate the union of two faithful souls…" Lily only half listened to the witch as she was so captivated by her man's presence. Time seemed to have slowed as she and Scorpius gazed on one another and somehow she had managed to say _I do_ in the correct place, although she had no idea on what the witch was saying until she heard,

"Then I now declare you bonded for life!"

With a flourish the witch announced in joy the union of Mr. and Mrs. Malfoy; a shower of white hearts sprinkled down on her and Scorpius. Scorpius cradled Lily's face in his hand and leaned over to place a gentle kiss on her lips. The crowd burst into a round of applause and the couple were officially married just as the sun had set.

Orbs of light floated in the air and Lily had no time to think before she was joining their guests in the huge pavilion where music and laughter could be heard. Hundreds of guests greeted her and Scorpius; old school friends, former teachers and a lot of family friends. The greetings were made awkward because Scorpius never once let go of her hand. Many of them had originally balked at the idea of a Potter loving a Malfoy and vice-versa. However, there was no denying that Scorpius and Lily were destined to be together. Their happiness was pure and it made many of the females weep to see such happiness. He then led her to the centre of the dance floor for their first dance as husband and wife.

Looking back on that day, Lily couldn't remember much other than it was the happiest she had ever been up until that day. She was grateful that her loving family went trigger happy with the camera so she could reflect on what she missed. Being in Scorpius' arms that day had made her forget everything else.

After the wedding, Lily and Scorpius went to Vienna for their honeymoon. They didn't see much of the city since they didn't wander any further than their suite at the hotel; not than anyone could blame them. They did feel a little guilty about not seeing any of the glorious city, but then they could always come back on another trip. Lily's memory of the honeymoon was also vague and it was only when they returned home, did it sink in that she was married.

They say that the first year of marriage is the hardest. Lily and Scorpius didn't agree. When they returned, Scorpius moved into Lily's flat until they decided on a permanent residence. Lily had a few problems thinking of it as their flat since she was used to it being hers. However they were used to living together and it was nice to have the place to themselves. Scorpius continued working in the ministry of magic with a range of new relations, while Lily continued with her fashion designing. Their lives weren't too different from how they'd been prior to their wedding day; Narcissa Malfoy became a larger feature in the newlyweds' lives though, although Lucius remained absent.

A month into their marriage they had their first fight over something trivial. Hugo and Delia got engaged and Lily wanted to throw an engagement party at the flat. Scorpius wasn't thrilled with the couldn't see why it would be a problem but Scorpius wasn't keen on the idea of having the party at their home. The whole situation was blown out of proportion and they enjoyed making up afterwards. In the end Lily helped Hannah Longbottom hold the party at the Leaky Cauldron. In that same month Lily's pet cat Padfoot sadly died. Lily was devastated by the loss of her beloved cat that had been with her throughout her schooling. A week later Scorpius bought her a ginger and white striped kitten which she named Sherlock. The kitten would not replace Padfoot in Lily's heart but it did make things easier.

The next month Aimee turned five and began her home schooling, much to the little girl's annoyance. She wanted to play with her Aunt Lili's kitten. She was always convincing her Aunt Lili and Uncle Scorpi to invite Remy, Elaina and herself over for the night. The spare room in the newly wed's flat was often used as a nursery for those three. Having them over and seeing what a joy they were, helped Lily understand why her room in her parents' house had been transformed into a nursery once she'd moved out.

When August arrived Lucy often brought her two-year-old son into work. He loved playing between the racks of clothing and made it his mission to make all the grownups smile. Later that month Brian and Margarita got engaged when they decided to buy a house together.

As autumn progressed Scorpius turned twenty-four on Halloween. Lily surprised him by organising a long weekend trip to Vienna so they got to see the city they'd missed out on during their honeymoon. Aimee had convinced her parents to let her look after Sherlock while they were away and she reluctantly gave Lily he pet back. It was then that Lily approached Teddy and Victoire, asking if it would be okay for Lily to buy Aimee her own kitten for her sixth birthday. Since that wasn't until the following summer, Aimee's parents agreed.

Rose and Harrison had their wedding a week before Christmas and Lily made sure Rose was kept apart from him for the morning. Rose hated every moment of it and became to appreciate how cruel she'd been, keeping Lily apart from her many during the morning of their wedding. Besides that, Rose had her dream wedding.

Christmas was spent at the Burrow as usual but they were joined by three additional guests. Draco, Astoria and Narcissa Malfoy spent the day with the Weasley brood while Lucius remained absent. His stubbornness was straining his relationship with his wife and son. Although to say Lily disliked Lucius was an understatement, she didn't like that his relationship with his family was breaking down, even though it was his own fault. She couldn't help but feel sorry for him since family was such an important part of her life.

As Lily watched her family and friends grow and live their lives, the time came when Lily began to consider what life would be like if she and Scorpius moved into the manor; maybe it was time she took a chance on something that would make Scorpius happy. She knew, despite his statements to the contrary, that living in his childhood home would probably help bridge the estrangement amongst his grandfather and the family. He had done so much for her already, she started to think that maybe it was time they should try living under the same roof with her in laws. After all, it could be a trial run until they found somewhere that they both equally loved. And maybe, just maybe, it would also bring her happiness as well as her husband's.

**So what do you think of this chapter? I love to read any reviews you decide to submit. I'm really sorry about the mix up with chapter 52 and I hope reading this was enough for you to forgive my silliness in uploading the wrong version.**** I want to thank by beta who has worked so hard with me on this story. Thank you for putting up with me.**


	54. C54: Loneliness

This story is almost finished but still has six more chapters to go. I want to say a big thanks to Klaudia my beta for all her help with my story. Enjoy.

**Chapter 54: Loneliness**

Lily strolled around her flat with an air of lingering sadness as she said goodbye. This place had been her home for almost four years now; it was the first home she knew after leaving her childhood home, and it was where she'd lived in during her first year of marriage with Scorpius. Life had been so easy here. Everything she needed was at her doorstep and lots of her friends and family worked in close proximity and were always in the habit of dropping by. However, her time living there was all at an end now that she decided her and her husband were moving into Malfoy Manor.

A soft mewing sound brought her attention to the young cat scratching itself against the doorpost. Lily scooped Sherlock into her arms and cuddled him close. She still held him as she paused at the front door looking in. "Say goodbye to our home Sherlock," Lily cooed as she scratched behind his ears. Sherlock purred obediently.

Looking in to the empty flat, Lily realised a part of her didn't want to see this part of her life end. It was strange thinking that she was going to move into someone else's home, even Scorpius'. However, it was a step she felt should be taken. Scorpius wanted to live in the ancestral home that was his birthright, and Lily felt she should give the Manor a chance, living there on a trial basis. They could always buy a place of their own should things not work out. As if sensing her hesitation, she heard her beloved husband's soothing voice.

"Are you sure this is what you want to do?" Scorpius asked, coming up behind her and placing his hands on her hips. She sagged against his chest and he perched his chin on the top of her head. Together they stared into the flat that was now void of all personal belongings. They'd all been packed away and Minky had insisted that she transport them to Malfoy Manor. She wouldn't trust anyone, not even her mistress, to transport the objects without damaging them.

Lily twisted in his embrace so she could look up at him, an action Sherlock didn't appreciate. The cat hissed and jumped out of her arms to make it known to his owner that he didn't like not being the centre of attention. Lily chuckled as the cat began to prowl around the empty flat and then smiled up at her husband. "I want to try and see what it's like. Yes it will be strange moving in with your parents and grandparents," Lily hesitated. She wasn't thrilled about living with Lucius but he was skilled in avoiding her so she guessed it wouldn't be so bad. "Besides, it's a big place, Sherlock will love exploring the house and grounds, plus your mother mentioned I could base my studio there." The space was definitely a bonus. With her business expanding at such a fast rate, extra space was always welcome. However, it would be strange living away from her store and her friends. Lily tried to sound enthusiastic when she listed off the advantages, despite her qualms.

Scorpius didn't look convinced. "I'll tell Duanne that we want to extend our lease here, there shouldn't be a problem."

"Don't be daft. Anya and Cassie are taking over the lease," Lily sighed, although she was grateful for the sentiment. The two staff members had been looking for a flat closer to work and this flat seemed perfect for them. Not only would they be living above their place of work, but they'd have all the amenities they needed on their doorstep. It had certainly served Lily well these past years.

"Then we'll buy a house of our own, a little cottage in the country or-"

Lily cut him off with a kiss. "It means a lot that you are willing to do that, but I want to see what it's like at the manor. It's your dream to live and eventually raise a family there, and your dreams are just as important as mine. The least I can do is try."

Scorpius tightened his grip around her waist and slid her hands behind his neck. "You are amazing, you know that." He told her and he grazed his lips against the exposed skin of his neck.

Lily smiled sweetly as the fluttering started in her stomach. "Actually, I do know that." She said breathlessly, but they had people waiting on them so they couldn't delay. "Now let's get to the manor before Minky comes looking for us. I swear she has loved bossing me around these last few days." Scorpius groaned knowing that his wife was right. If they were late arriving at the manor the House Elf would indeed come looking for them. It irritated him a little, but then, they would have plenty of alone time later; his family was waiting for their arrival. So without further fuss the young couple collected Sherlock and made their way to Malfoy Manor.

Pulling up the driveway, the initial sighting of the mansion never ceased to amaze Lily. It was straight out of a Muggle fairytale, while she and Scorpius were the prince and princess going to live there. Like any good fairytale there was usually a villain, thus they had their own by the name of Lucius Malfoy. Although nowadays he was less a villain and more like a dragon laying dormant in his den. However, Lily was living in no fairytale. This was her life and it was hard to believe that she could call the magnificent structure home.

As they climbed out of the car and headed towards the elaborate entrance, she spotted three blonde figures waiting at the door. Draco, Astoria and Narcissa Malfoy welcomed the youngest generation of Malfoys into their ancestral home. True to form, Lucius Malfoy was nowhere to be seen. Lily heard her husband sigh when he noticed the absence; for the second time in her life – the first being her wedding day - Lily wished the elder Malfoy was there. Despite his absence, the remaining family members made them feel welcome.

The first couple of weeks of her new life went quickly and without incident. Lily began adjusting to the glamorous setting well. She found the ideal place for her studio at the very top of the house on the fifth floor. The circular room was spacious, bright and had panoramic views of the surrounding landscape. Unlike the mosaic domed roof of the library and music towers, the domed ceiling was made of glass. This ensured light flooded into the room during the day and torches reflected around the room when the sun set. When she'd found it that first day, Lily had been surprised to discover that the room had long since fallen out of use. But then the manor housed many spectacular rooms with most of them being taken for granted. The existing Malfoys only used a few selections of the rooms the manor had to offer. On the ground floor, the smaller informal dining room on the ground floor was used daily, and there were multiple spacious sitting rooms that captured the light differently depending on the time of day. The next floor up was rarely used since all it housed were empty guest bedrooms and the veranda that hugged the walls of the Ballroom where during a party, people could watch others dance from above.

Lucius spent most of his time in the out houses which Lily knew where larger than Grimauld's place. She had had no contact with him so far, although on the occasion when she and Scorpius would spend time in the gardens, they often felt his eyes on them.

"Just ignore him, love." Scorpius told her as they sat on a bench having retreated there once Scorpius had got home from work. He brushed a loose tendril of hair from her face and urged her to relax.

Lily twirled her wedding ring which had once belonged to Gwendolyn Malfoy anxiously. "I can't relax when I feel him staring at us. It's creepy." She admitted freely. There was no denying that knowing that he watched then but never approached them was disturbing. "I don't know why, but I thought it would be different," Lily sighed.

"How so?" Scorpius asked confused.

"For some reason I thought us being here would make things easier between us and your grandparents. That it would be easier when your grandmother wasn't making a conscious decision to see me so Lucius wouldn't feel as slighted and they would spend more time together." Lily explained and she felt silly thinking she'd be able to help fix things between Narcissa and her husband.

"Lily. My. Sweet. Amazing. Lily" Scorpius said and scattered her face with kisses between each word. "The problems between my grandparents are of their own making and have nothing to do with you. My grandfather has had enough time to come to terms with you being part of the family. That isn't what is keeping them apart. He's always locked himself away in those buildings."

Then why are they still fighting?" Lily asked, because there was no denying that the two were constantly arguing. Even Draco had commented on it during dinner the previous night. It was alien to her that the elder Malfoy couple spent so much time apart, even though they were fighting. But then in her family, everyone gravitated to each other regardless to whether they were annoyed with each other or not.

"They are both too stubborn. And Lucius won't apologise for his actions towards us or even admit that he was in the wrong."

"You've forgiven him. You don't hate him." Lily realised.

"I guess I have forgiven him and no, I don't hate him. Hate is such an exhausting emotion. I have so many things to be happy about, and I'm not going to waste energy trying to hate him. I knew what he was like and knew he would try something to keep us apart. But in all honesty, I never said anything to make it known that I really loved you. I just assumed it was obvious to everyone."

"You can't blame yourself for his actions."

"And I don't. But I acknowledge that I could have done things differently and now that I have you and no one can keep us apart, I'm more forgiving of his faults." Scorpius explained.

Lily couldn't help but be impressed by how grown up her husband's outlook was of what had happened. She wished she could be just as forgiving. "Despite everything he has done, you still love him."

It wasn't a question but Scorpius nodded. "Some days I wish I didn't but I can't help it. No matter what he's done, I can't change the fact that he is my grandfather and I love him." Knowing this made Lily more determined to try and forgive the elder Malfoy. However, she didn't know when she would be able to let go of the fact he almost ruined her happiness. Scorpius was right, though; hating someone was exhausting, even when that someone was Lucius Malfoy.

Lily quickly observed that Narcissa spent most of her time in her and her husband's private quarters. She was often visited by her elder sister and Lily was pleased to see her Nana Tonks every couple of days. Draco and Astoria also spent most of their time in their own quarters, music room or in some of the communal rooms on the ground floor. Their master suite existed on two levels. The entrance was on the second floor towards the west of the property; the same floor Dorian's and Scorpius' old bedroom was on. Draco and Astoria's luxurious private living space also had doors leading onto the Music tower. Astoria had given Lily a tour the first day she moved in to the manor. She had been deeply impressed with the double sweeping marble staircase supported the intricate detailed statues of a witch and wizard.

The upper level of their suite housed the master bedroom, dressing room and his and hers bathroom. Astoria had offered the suite to Lily and Scorpius since it was tradition. However, Scorpius couldn't see the room as belonging to anyone other than his parents; while Lily thought it too grand for her tastes- she would be afraid of breaking something. So the young couple declined the offer much to Draco's relief- he was rather attached to the suite and had many happy memories there from time spent with his wife and son; such as holding his son for the first time and watching him take his first steps. Instead, Lily and Scorpius chose to move into the rooms on the fourth floor as they were conveniently empty of all furnishings. Lily didn't have far to walk to her studio and the floor was far away from the others which gave the couple all the privacy they needed.

After the first couple of weeks spent in her new home, the novelty wore off. Each rare antique or piece of art faded into the background and size of the place became overwhelming. The place was too large for such a small family. Lily found living at Malfoy manor manageable and even enjoyable when she kept herself busy or when Scorpius was there. Problems began to take shape once all the work to their new rooms had been finished and Lily had submitted the designs for next seasons clothing range. In the past, when not with Scorpius, Lily would usually spend the time at the shop talking to customers, catching up with her friends and visiting family. However Lily mood changed dramatically and the enjoyment those activities used to bring her began to fade. She couldn't seem to shake out of it. She became less motivated to go out and socialize and began feeling increasingly lethargic despite the fact she wasn't doing as much during the day. It was odd since she expected the opposite to happen; surely she was supposed to have more energy. Soon she was finding it difficult to sleep at night which affected her motivation to do anything other than stay in the manor. Her mind was free to roam and started to focus on aspects of the manor she disliked; those thoughts plagued her. Reluctant to admit defeat since she hadn't long since moved in to the mansion, she forced herself to carry on with her schedule as usual. She would escape the building on the odd occasion while Scorpius was putting in the long hours at the office. However, she soon became exhausted and returned to the Malfoy estate.

Lily's life had changed so much since the move and she wasn't convinced she could take much more of it; she felt as if she was reaching her breaking point. There was something about the place that was seriously getting her down but she couldn't work out what it was in order to correct it. Her stubbornness and determination to try and like the place for her husband's sake, kept her there. However she was tired of her sleepless nights and exhausted by hiding it from her husband. When she partook in her usual activities and met up with her friends, it wasn't the same. Something was wrong with her, with everything. Lily couldn't pinpoint the cause of her sudden unhappiness, adding more to her anxiousness and troubled her already busy mind.

So much had changed in the dynamics of the friendships between her and her best friends and had been changing gradually over time. As each of the girls' relationships got more and more serious, the inevitable happened. They were spending more time with their partners and less time with each other. Lily didn't resent her friends for the changes since she too was to blame. Lily knew deep down they would be able to restore balance at some point, it would just take time to adjust. With increasing frequency, Lily found herself alone with more time on her hands than she knew what to do with. As she became exhausted mentally, Lily often found herself withdrawing to the manor and unable to escape the loneliness of the place. And it was lonely, she realised. Suddenly her problems with the house started clicking into place. Although she wanted to give the place a chance she couldn't get used to the vast emptiness of the place. Guilt about not being happy grew, because she knew how much Scorpius loved living at that manor. Even Sherlock had adjusted to his new territory better than she. He was always roaming the hall or gardens chasing butterflies and field mice.

Although Lily couldn't find the energy to leave most days, she knew things couldn't carry on the way they were going. She decided to take a leaf out of Sherlock's book and focused on finding jobs to fill up her free time; that was she was all smiles by the time Scorpius got home. She set about exploring the manor, looking at the family's art collection and examining the library; she felt that this way she didn't need to focus on how lacking in laughter and activity the place was. The manor may be the kind of building young girls fantasized about living in, but Lily didn't feel like a princess at all. She missed the hectic atmosphere of the city and if she had to live with the deafening silence much longer, she was afraid she'd lose her mind. It was no wonder Lucius had turned out the way he had. Lily was surprised that the other Malfoys had turned out ok.

By mid May, Lily was done exploring the house and looking for her next project. She was relieved to find the box containing scrolls of writings written by Gwendolyn Malfoy nee Selwyn. However, it was hard to find a place to concentrate. While some people needed complete silence to help their concentration levels, Lily found it detrimental. She tried listening to music but nothing compared to the everyday noises Lily was used to hearing at her London flat. During an afternoon exploring the manor and loosing herself in her thoughts, Lily found a place on the estate that was full of clattering, banging and conversation. Minky had given her the idea that morning when she chatted on about the new friends she'd made by moving with Lily.

With her decision made, Lily decided to venture into the basement. It had once been a dungeon until Draco had converted it into a comfortable living space for a community of House Elves, not all of which who worked for the Malfoy family. Lily had never seen so many House Elves in one place and she'd certainly never seen any adolescent or infant House Elves before entering the kitchens. They played, chatted and practiced elf magic while the adult Elves busied themselves.

Lily caused quite a stir among them as they rushed to ask her if there was anything she wanted. She assured them that she was fine and she found a spot where she could sit and read. Lily knew that by translating the letters she was running away from her problems rather than facing them; yet reading the scrolls was all she had the energy for. It took a while for the House Elves to settle despite her constant reassurances. Every twenty minutes or so a different House Elf would come and question whether she needed anything.

However, after a week of visits their reaction to her presence calmed down, although the anxious glances the elves sent her way didn't cease. Nevertheless, Lily was happy to sit there examining the scrolls and loosing herself in the story of Tiberius and Gwendolyn's lives. Not only did the Seer write about her secret romance which resulted in a happy marriage, but she also wrote about her visions relating to future Malfoy family members and the magical community. Not all of her predictions had come to pass. As Gwendolyn described it, time was fluid and the outcomes depended on the choices people made. Lily read in horrifying detail what would have become of the world if Voldemort had taken full control. If her father hadn't managed to defeat the wizard, a devastating war on a global scale would have ensued. The entire Muggle race would have eventually died out and a couple of centuries after that the entire human race would have been obliterated. It was terrifying to picture the outcome if her father had failed on the path the late Albus Dumbledore had sent him on.

Lily was so caught up in the stories that she almost forgot about her loneliness. She found herself gravitating towards the kitchens and the company of the House Elves more and more. When Scorpius' job took him overseas for several weeks, Lily practically moved in to the kitchens. She was miserable without him being there in the evenings and he had been reluctant to leave her, as if sensing she wasn't as happy as she acted around him. However, she encouraged him to go since it was a great opportunity for him. Lily regretted the decision that first evening he was absent.

"Would you like another pumpkin juice, Miss?" Toffy the House Elf asked one day.

Lily looked up from the den she'd made herself over the last weeks, and into the blue bulbous eyes of the Elf. He carried a jug of freshly squeezed pumpkin juice in one hand and watched her carefully. "Please," Lily said with a smile while hiding her annoyance about being interrupted. She held out the glass to be refilled and thanked Toffy at the same time as dismissing him. Lily returned her attention to the scrolls.

Stepping back Toffy examined the young mistress. He remembered her being such a glamorous human when he'd first met her. Her hair was always shiny and her clothes were smart. Now she looked scruffy and unkempt. She didn't look well with her sallow skin and dark bruising under her eyes. She tried to convince them all that she was fine but there was no way of hiding her melancholy. Young Master Scorpius needed to come home quick. Toffy shook his head as he assessed her and turned to the newest edition of the Elfish family.

Minky was deeply distressed over her mistress' behaviour and didn't know what to do about it. She exchanged a worried glance with Toffy and then nodded. Master Scorpius wasn't available so it was time they got Astoria Malfoy involved. The woman had been managing the household for years. She'd know what to do.

Lily remained unaware of the conspiracy against her until the unexpected appearance of Astoria Malfoy. Lily was aware of the woman's presence as soon as she stepped foot in the kitchen. Lily tensed; hoping she would remain unnoticed. The woman appeared aloof towards Lily at first. She entered the kitchens and began looking through cupboards. It was the first time Lily had seen any one down there other than the elves. Lily watched Astoria discreetly over the top of the parchment she was reading and remained quiet so not to draw attention. Her efforts failed.

"Lily?" Astoria feigned surprise as she met the redhead's gaze.

Lily sighed and set aside the parchment; forcing a smile. "Hi Astoria, what brings you here?"

"I came to make Draco a Hot Chocolate. He'll only drink it if it's made by me; it's one of his little quirks. I didn't expect to see you here, though." Astoria replied pleasantly.

Lily bit her bottom lip and eyed the woman suspiciously; letting let her gaze roam around the room. It was unusually vacant of House Elves. Frowning when she noticed that the two of them were alone, Lily accusing gaze returned to her mother-in-law, wondering what the real reason for her presence was. "I'll bet," Lily bit out.

Astoria realised her daughter-in-law didn't believe her and sighed. "I guess it's not really the weather for hot chocolate, is it? I should have said I was coming to get something from the wine cellar," she ruefully admitted as she made her way over to Lily. She was surprised to see the girl's appearance and was thankful that the House Elves had warned her about the situation. That way Astoria was able to hide her shock. "They're all concerned that you have been spending a lot of time down here lately."

Lily was angry about the interference but was unable to remain so under the gentle, empathetic gaze of her mother-in law. "I was just-"

"Brooding?" Astoria interjected. "I know that, dear. Tell me something I don't know." Astoria made an exasperated sigh and took a seat next to Lily. "This is a family of brooders. Lucius more often than not sulks in the out buildings while Narcissa hides away in the East Wing. Even my Draco retreats to the music room while my son tends to roam the gardens. It's only natural that you find your own place to brood, although I didn't expect it to be down here." Astoria admitted as she looked around the room.

Lily shrugged. "I like the noise, I find it comforting."

"There's no need to explain. This house does take some getting used to."

Lily gazed down at the floor. "It doesn't feel like home yet." She admitted and braved a glance at Astoria's disappointed expression. "Well it does when Scorpius is here, but when he's not…" her voice trailed off once more as she didn't want to hurt the other woman's feelings.

Lily saw Astoria's stern expression being directed at her for the first time. It wasn't overly angry but it got the point across. Lily felt immediately thatAstoria wasn't much impressed with her right then. "That could be because you aren't treating this place like a home yet." She suggested.

Lily wanted to dispute the claim "I-" she began but Astoria wasn't looking for an explanation.

"When did you last invite your family or friends to spend time here?"

Lily frowned. She hadn't invited anyone over since the move, since on the rare occasions she'd seen them she'd always gone to them. She'd been so caught up in trying to escape how silent and empty the place was; she hadn't considered inviting her family over filling the silence. Lily found it odd that she hadn't thought to invite people over yet, especially since it was one of the reasons why Lily thought the move was a good idea. "I didn't want to intrude," Lily said as her only excuse.

"And therein lies the problem," Astoria pointed out with a gentle smile toying with her lips. "You shouldn't feel like you're intruding when you invite your family and friends here. This is your home now. You can invite whomever you want. People are constantly dropping by to see Draco and I; they don't bother you, I'd be surprised if you even noticed them visit."

Lily's eyes widened slightly. She hadn't noticed any guests other than her Nana Tonks but that was because the older woman would intentionally seek her out. "My family is a little larger than most."

"And this house is large enough to host them. Your family likes to play Quidditch, don't they?" Lily didn't need to think before she answered in the affirmative. "And we have a Quidditch pitch here that is rarely used now so why don't you make use of it?"

Lily began to smile her first genuine smile in so long, as she realised how stupid she'd been these past weeks. "I guess I could do that."

"And the larger dining and sitting rooms are spacious enough to provide room for your entire family, aren't they?" Astoria continued, happy to see that her speech was making Lily think of all the positive sides to living on the estate.

"I see where you are going with this," Lily said and she truly did. Astoria was pointing out there were room in the house that were never used in their everyday activities because the Malfoy family wasn't large enough. It would be highly unlikely that anyone would even notice the members of her extended family unless they were informed of their arrival beforehand. Astoria was also encouraging her do something about her situation since she was unhappy about it.

"Thank you so much, Astoria," Lily said, grateful for the metaphorical kicking up the backside. She didn't know how the blonde had done it, but Lily had the urge to make some changes in her life, instead of wallowing in self pity and hiding herself away she had become a subscriber to.

"You're welcome my dear. Now stop brooding so much. A little is harmless but don't make a habit out if it. Also I recommend you find somewhere else to retreat to. You're making the House Elves nervous." Astoria laughed light-heartedly now that she saw Lily's spirits had risen dramatically. Lily shook her head as Astoria left. Her disbelief was not directed at the blonde but at Lily's own behaviour. She hadn't considered how her moping affected her and other members of the Household. She realised that Minky must have been really worried about her if she had gone to Astoria for help. Lily felt ashamed for making Minky worry, especially because of all the good the House Elf had done for her.

Minky came bounding over to Lily once Astoria Malfoy left the kitchens. "You're not mad at Minky for getting the mistress, are you Miss Lily?" Minky asked uncertainly.

"No. I'm pleased you did. Thank you." Lily assured the House Elf who beamed up at her in response, her wide eyes tearing up at her mistress' change in disposition. "What are you going to do now?"

"First I'm going to sort myself out and then I'm going to write some letters. Astoria is right. It is about time I invite my family over." Lily said. She dreaded to see what she looked like. She'd been avoiding looking in a mirror since Scorpius went on his trip. She also had letters to write to her family and friends if she wanted to organise a gathering. She liked the idea of a Quidditch tournament and a family meal. She'd even extend her invitation to her Malfoy family. As Lily's mind began to reel with possibilities as she focused on the positive opportunities her new living arrangements offered her. Minky was overjoyed. She was glad that Lily was no longer causing her reason to be concerned, but she would be watchful to pick up on the signs if Lily began to spiral downwards once more.

Lily knew that arranging a date for all of her family to get together would take its own share of time. They were scattered all over the country and her Uncle Charlie lived in Romania the best part of the year. However the perfect opportunity was approaching. Lily's goddaughter would be turning six soon so everyone would be home. The party would be held at the Burrow but that wouldn't stop the Weasley clan from visiting Lily's home.

Over the next few days Lily's family and friends started dropping by in small groups. Lily still read Gwendolyn's letters but she didn't allow them to take over her life. She had her own to live. Lily began to feel much happier and by the time Scorpius was due back, Malfoy Manor was beginning to feel more and more like home.

Lily completed another lap of her bedroom as she paced the same route impatiently. Her four best friends had spent the earlier part of the evening with her, catching up- all agreeing that they needed to have a girl's only night more often. They had all returned to their homes since Scorpius would be returning home soon from his three week assignment overseas. Lily was toying between two very different methods of greeting him; flinging her arms around him or throwing the nearest object to hand at his head. She was furious that he'd left her for so long, even if she had agreed he should take the case. She missed him terribly and that was making her act irrationally. Irrational behaviour certainly wasn't something new to her these past weeks.

"I swear if your Aunt ever assigns me to a case that keeps me away from you for this long again, I have half a mind to quit." Scorpius' voice came from the next room. It acted like a magnet, drawing Lily towards him; his words softening her anger.

"Merlin I hope so, because there is no way I will let you be away from me for that long ever again!" Lily replied throwing the door open and seeing him standing in front of her.

The sight of him had her blood racing and her heart knocking against her ribs. In that instant she knew there was only one way in which she could possible greet him. And it certainly didn't involve anything other than herself at him. His arms opened welcomingly and she hurled herself into them. One hand threaded into her hair and with a gentle tug, her head tilted back. His stormy eyes pierced into hers; in his arms, she was home.

"I've missed you!" He rushed to say before his lips covered hers. The kiss was everything she'd hoped it would be: passionate, urgent and fraught with a need he'd been denied too long. It was almost worth being apart from him. Almost.

They paused, gasping for breath. Instead of calming their ragged breaths, they picked up speed. "I've missed you too." Lily confessed, her voice painfully hoarse. Tension mounted in her stomach as his presence overwhelmed her. He hauled her up in his arms and she laughed knowing that sleep was not something she'd be doing tonight. This time, Lily didn't mind.

Later that evening they lay curled up in bed, their bodies entwined. Lily fiddled with Scorpius' silver and gold wedding band he wore to match Lily's, as she updated him on everything that had happened during his absence. As she explained her previous reservations to living in the manor, Scorpius frowned since he was disappointed that she hadn't brought her feelings to his attention earlier. He was also grateful that his mother had been there for Lily when he hadn't. He held her tightly blessing her with gentle lingering kisses. With the butterflies building in her belly, Lily promised to talk to Scorpius if she ever began spiralling into a depression, before the two lost themselves in the throes of passion once more.

**Author's note**: I struggled with this chapter but I hoped you all liked reading it. Thank you for reading and reviewing.

There are a few things I would like to clarify. Lily still doesn't know that it was Scorpius who carried her back to the tower nor do they talk much about their fights. That was all in the past and they are focusing more on their present and future. They may discuss the topic later on in life but at the moment I don't feel the need to bring it up. Lily was not a virgin and hasn't been since chapter 47. I also want to thank Duchy for pointing out the possible error with the sun setting over the sea. As far as I can remember, I don't think I ever decided where the cliff top the wedding took place actually was. I remember writing that Lily wasn't sure she was still in England when they apperated there that first time. When I have time I will go back and see if I decided where it was.


	55. C55: Family Bickering

**This chapter is unbeta'd so I hope it is ok. I'm so glad I have finally managed to find time to work on this story. I really hope you enjoy this chapter.**

**Chapter 55: Family Bickering**

This was exactly how her life was supposed to be, Lily thought as she sighed with contentment. Gazing around the room, she was able to appreciate the drastic alterations which had taken place in the largest sitting room in Malfoy Manor. Gone were the furnishings that advertised the wealth on longevity of the Malfoy bloodline; in their stead, items designed for comfort and practicality gave the place a homely feeling despite the considerable size of the room. In addition, Family photos of the Malfoys, Weasleys and Potters hung on the walls where classic works of art had formally taken pride of place.

Along with the change of décor, a change of atmosphere had also taken place. The descendants of Molly and Arthur Weasley were among the mass that filled the room with a pleasant sort of chaos. Small explosions from games of exploding snap sounded, while laughter from people of all ages echoed off the walls, along with chatter, teasing and minor arguments that accompany any family.

Astoria Malfoy was enjoying some light conversation with Lily's mother and other relations; Audrey, Issie and Lucy. For someone who had grown up surrounded by family, it was comforting having the Weasley clan over at the manor, even though the fifty-four inhabitants of the room were a lot more than what Astoria was used to. It was almost like being back in the Slytherin common room except for the fact that only one was of schooling age and only a small proportion of the inhabitants were former Slytherins. Nevertheless, It was nice to see everyone getting along, Astoria observed and her gaze flickered to the redhead whom had made it all happen.

Lily Luna Malfoy was a blessing to her family. Never had she seen her son as happy and animated as when he was in the company of the girl. From the moment Astoria had first laid eyes on Lily at the train platform prior to attending Hogwarts, she had been of the opinion that she was special. "I'm sorry it rained today and you didn't get to have the picnic in the gardens as you wanted." Astoria called to her daughter-in-law.

Lily, who had been watching Scorpius attack a giggling Hope with a hand puppet, looked towards Astoria. "Don't be sorry. I'm certainly not. I enjoyed our picnic in the conservatory today. I think it would be a good idea to do the same tomorrow. I've had a great day."

"Even though you lost your Quidditch match this morning?" Hugo teased after overhearing the conversation.

Lily snorted. "It was a team effort." She said bitterly. "And I wouldn't brag Hugo. Your team only won by 10 points and my Dad has had over a quarter of a century more experience than me. It's not all that shocking that he managed to beat me to the snitch despite his poor eyesight." Lily said and smiled peevishly when she saw he comment had drawn he dad's attention.

Harry looked appalled. "Hey! Are you implying that I'm old?"

"Certainly not. Blind maybe, but never old." Lily grinned back at him and there were a few chuckles around the room.

"Did you hear that Ginny? Your daughter was calling me old!" Harry complained.

Ginny snorted in a manner similar to her daughter. "You _are_ old!" Ginny teased and Harry gaped at her, looking betrayed. There was another round of laughter but also a few complaints, since there were those older than Harry who didn't consider themselves old just yet.

"I never said you were old!" Lily said as she tried to placate her father.

"I believe she was admitting you were a better Seeker than her." Ron shouted to Harry.

Lily glared at her uncle. "A more experienced seeker, not better!" she said through gritted teeth.

"No, I think I agree with Ron!" Harry said smugly and smiled appreciatively at his best friend.

Ginny rolled her eyes. "You always agree with Ron."

"Unless he's wrong, and then I don't."

"I'm never wrong." Ron complained.

Several pairs of eyes rolled. "You are both impossible." Hugo said shaking his head. Not that he was truly complaining since he was a Beater on the same team as Ron and Harry.

"So Hugo, are you confident about playing my team tomorrow?" James asked after watching the discussion with amusement.

Scorpius captured Hope in his arms and the little boy continued to giggle. He spoke before Hugo had the chance. "Your team? I don't recall naming you captain."

James smirked at Scorpius. "Don't you? Then you better get yourself checked out at St Mungo's. You're too young to be losing your memory."

As the playful bickering continued the House Elves filtered in and out of the room at their leisure. Each smiling at how happy and satisfied their family was. Well, all apart from Master Lucius Malfoy. The old man had refused to be present for what he called a 'tragic blot in his family's history.' However, his sour mood wouldn't deter the rest of the Malfoys from having fun. Even Draco was enjoying himself despite the bickering between him and Ron. Their childhood rivalry was still present but no one thought to stop them, they appeared to be enjoying their arguments too much.

"I think it's time the littleun's go to bed soon or they will be exhausted tomorrow." Molly Weasley senior suggested in the early evening as she watched over her great grandchildren.

Perci Fudge had already fallen asleep after his sugar high. The little boy would eat nothing other than strawberry jam sandwiches. They all knew it wasn't the healthiest of diets for the little boy, but none, not even Narcissa Malfoy, could resist the blonde-haired, blue-eyed cherub when his dimples were on show. He slept in his mother's arm, his head resting on her shoulder, while Molly Fudge was deep in conversation with her mother, sister, Issie and Astoria.

Fred's wife Issie held Molly's daughter Freya in her arms, which wasn't easy since her own abdomen was rather swollen. Issie was five months pregnant with twins, and little Freya liked to feel the babies kick. She thought it the funniest thing in the world and giggled every time she felt movement.

"I think you are right Grandma." Roxie agreed as her eyes flickered down to her own son. He was playing toy soldiers with his dad, Grandpa George and Uncle Fred. Elliot had been playing with little Perci until the blonde had crawled onto his mother's lap and fallen asleep.

Three-year-old Elliot Belby pouted when he heard his mother and Great-grandmother talking. "But I'm not sleepy." He complained, rubbing his eyes and doing his best not to yawn.

Both of his parents smiled at him fondly. Armand scooped his son into his arms. "Mummy's right soldier; it is time for bed."

Knowing better than to argue with his parents, Elliot allowed his dad to pick him up, his eager eyes looking over his dad's shoulder to see how his cousins took the news of their bedtime.

Lucy called her son over. Hope climbed off Lily's lap and toddled over to his mother; Lifting his arms and shouting 'up' so that she would carry him to his very own bed in Malfoy manor. Lucy laughed and announced he needed a bath before bed. This was met by a resounding 'no' from the boy.

"You can 'no' all you want Hope. You're still having a bath." Lucy laughed and turned to her mother. "What is it with boys and their determination to stay filthy?"

Audrey smiled. "It's not only boys. You were very much the same when you were Hope's age. I remember taking you down to the stables when you were two. It had been raining and there were puddles everywhere. While Molly was happy to splash around in them, you preferred to sit in them."

Lucy winced while others laughed. "Thanks for the warning. I'll be keeping Hope away from puddles."

"And spoil our son's fun? Not likely." Isaiah said and went to help Lucy with their son.

"I'll carry Freya upstairs." Audrey offered and Issie passed the little girl to her. Freya whimpered at first, but it didn't take too long for her to settle in her grandma's arms.

Elaina and Charlette obediently stopped what they were doing when their Great-Grandma announced it was time for bed. They'd had the best day ever and were happy to go to bed so it would start again the next day. They'd enjoyed watching their family play Quidditch in the morning and the giant picnic had been fun. However the two girls had had the most fun beautifying their dolls with the help of their mothers and the pretty Zabini sisters. Maggie and Margarita had promised to play with them again tomorrow, so they didn't feel the need to sulk when the mothers led them to Astoria Malfoy, who would lead them to the bedroom they would be sharing with their siblings and cousins.

Luc and Remy put up the most protest. Their great-uncle Charlie was going to teach them more about dragons once they finished playing racehorses with their dads. Charlie had to promise to tell them all about the dragons tomorrow when the other grown-ups finished their Quidditch tournament. The two boys climbed off their dads' backs and sulked over towards their great grandma, grumbling under their breaths.

"Come on Aimee!" Victoire called as she took hold of Remy and Elaina by hand.

Aimee sat in the corner cuddling the kitten her Lily and Scorpius had gifted her for her birthday. She had been chatting animatedly to Dorian Zabini, who'd been bullied into attending the family gathering by his siblings. At her mother's summons, Lily turned her head towards her mother. She grimaced when she realised it was time for bed but stood up regardless. She held her kitten against her chest and clutched a book in her hand. "I'll come but I'm going to say goodnight to everyone first." She shouted to her mother and then said something quietly to Dorian.

The teenage boy, who had little experience dealing with children, looked at her bemusedly. He didn't seem to know what to do with the six-year-old who'd practically refused to let him out of her sight all day. He stood up and followed Aimee. Duanne laughed as he watched Aimee command his brother to follow him as she said goodnight to everyone starting from her Nana Tonks and ending with Lily. Dorian only shrugged at his brother, knowing that he'd prefer his brother's teasing over upsetting the little girl who declared him her new best friend.

"I'm sorry you didn't win Quidditch today Aunt Lili." Aimee said miserable as she walked over to her favourite Aunt. "With Mummy and Daddy on your team I thought you would win for certain."

Knowing Aimee expected her to pout and look miserable, Lily played along. In truth she was a little disappointed that her team had lost to her father's, however there had only been 10 points between them so it wasn't a performance to be embarrassed about.

Aimee gazed at her sympathetically and balanced her storybook on the arm of the chair. "But not to worry, Aimee's here to make it all better with one of her magic hugs." She announced proudly and thrust her kitten towards Scorpius expectantly. "Hold Nougat for a moment please Uncle Scorpius; he doesn't like being set down."

Like everyone who came in contact with Aimee, Scorpius was rendered powerless to object. He held the tiny kitten in his hand as Aimee flung herself into Lily's arms. Lily laughed and hugged her goddaughter tightly. "Thanks Aimee, you did make it all better."

"I made it all better for Mummy and Daddy as well." Aimee admitted proudly and then held her hand out to Scorpius. "Now give me Nougat."

Scorpius frowned. "Where's my hug?" he pouted.

"You don't get one. Your team won. Now if you lose against Grandpa Potter's team tomorrow, which is very likely, I will give you a hug." Aimee said matter-of-factly.

Lily and Dorian each stifled a chuckle as Scorpius gaped at the precocious six-year-old. Scorpius continued to sulk as Lily sent him a gloating smile. "But I want a hug now." He persisted.

Aimee's hands went to her hips as she looked at him sternly. "Only if you lose." She stated but then she huffed and rolled her eyes. "Come on then." She sighed dramatically and hugged her Uncle Scorpius once he had passed Nougat to Lily to hold. Scorpius smiled smugly at his wife and it was Lily's turn to roll her eyes.

Lily passed the kitten back to Aimee. "Now if you lose tomorrow I won't give you another hug. You've already had yours."

Scorpius faked a pout. "But that's not fair. Who's going to make it all better if I lose?"

Aimee sighed and shook her head. "It is fair because I say so. Aunt Lili will have to give you a hug if you lose. She'll make it all better. Won't you Aunt Lili?" Aimee asked uncertainly as she began to worry that her uncle Scorpius would be all upset if he didn't get another hug from her tomorrow. She supposed she could hug everyone else again tomorrow so they wouldn't feel left out if Lily couldn't make him feel all better.

Lily hung her head solemnly. "I'll do my best. My hugs aren't as good as yours though."

Aimee nodded and sighed in exasperation. "I know. I do give the best hugs, but it will have to do."

Scorpius exchanged a heated glance with Lily which clearly indicated that he disagreed with Lily saying Aimee's hugs were better. Heat rose to Lily's cheeks as she struggled not to gasp. The way her husband was gazing at her was not at all appropriate considering their company.

"Would you like me to come up and read that book to you?" Lily offered; she was appalled to hear her voice crack as her throat became uncomfortably dry.

Oblivious to the exchange which was occurring between the two grown-ups, Aimee cuddled Nougat and picked up her storybook. "No thanks. Rian promised he would. He's never read a bedtime story to anyone before; can you believe that?" Aimee asked as if it was the most shocking news in the world. Lily managed to shake her head, her voice failing her. She could still feel Scorpius' heated gaze on her, her skin seeming to heat up under his roaming gaze. Lily's breath hitched and she struggled to appear unaffected. She wanted to hit Scorpius for doing this to her in front of her family.

Lily managed to smile sympathetically at Dorian who's been taken in by Aimee's charm and would do anything to keep her happy. Dorian, who was more aware of the intent in Scorpius' gaze, shrugged with embarrassment. He placed a hand on Aimee's shoulder as if to hurry her along. "I told him that I would help him if he does it wrong. I know how to do all the voices. But I'm sure he'll do well." Aimee said confidently and turned to beam at Dorian who smiled back. "Shall we go now Rian? I have Nougat and I have the book. We can go read the little ones to sleep."

"I think that is a good idea." Dorian agreed and ushered her out of the room.

"I suppose you thought that was funny?" Lily growled and turned accusingly towards her husband. As soon as she looked into Scorpius' eyes, hers widened. There was nothing humorous in his gaze. It was hypnotic, drawing her closer. His hand reached for hers and their fingers entwined. Soon he was guiding her to her feet and drawing her out of the room unnoticed. Her blood ran hot in her vein and she slowly became aware of her surroundings when they were ascending the spiral staircase that led to their room. "We can't- Not with everyone down-"

"Hush." Scorpius urged softly and brushed his lips against hers. "We'll join them later; they won't think anything of it."

He kissed her again more urgently. She felt like a teenager again as she surrendered herself to pure feeling. It hardly registered that it wasn't that long ago that she was in her teens, she felt so much older. She couldn't remember the last time she'd done anything reckless or daring, such as, sneaking off with her man during a family gathering.

Her body was trembling with anticipation. She felt dizzy and gasped her breath, her legs weakening. He lifted her off the ground and her slender legs wrapped around his waist; surprisingly firm. They never made it to their bedroom. As soon as they entered their suite, he lowered her onto their sofa and lay over her. All thoughts of anything except each other vanished.

It was a while before they left their suite and made their way back downstairs. To look at them no one would guess what they had been up to, unless they noticed their eyes sparkling more intently and the flushed appearance of Lily's skin. Lily wondered whether anyone would comment about their absence, she certainly wasn't certain she'd be able to keep the blush from her face.

What if Maggie had noticed? She'd never let her live it down. Merlin! What if her dad found out? Of course she was married now and he knew she wasn't as young and innocent as he would have liked, but she didn't need to rub his face in it. Lily cringed at the thought. "Let's go and check Aimee and the others are asleep. That way we have some explanation for our absence if anyone asks." Lily decided on their way downstairs.

Scorpius cocked his head and glanced at her sideways. "Are you embarrassed dear wife?" he questioned and swung his arm so it fell on her shoulders.

"Yes! And you don't have to sound so amused by that." Lily scolded which earned her a chuckle as response. Lily batted his arm off her shoulder and stormed off.

Knowing that his wife wasn't mad at him, Scorpius ran after her chuckling to himself. When Lily heard his footsteps quicken she made a small squeal and ran to the stairs with Scorpius close on her heel. Lily was trying to suppress her laughter when Scorpius caught up with her and flung her over his shoulder.

Lily's world turned upside down and she got a great view of Scorpius' backside as she dangled over his shoulder. She squirmed as she tried to break free but Scorpius laughed and tightened his hold on her legs. "Put me down!" Lily demanded breathlessly.

"Not a chance!" Scorpius replied and laughed. "I like you just as you are." He explained and slapped her buttock fondly. Lily squeaked and returned the action in kind. He laughed again and carried her down the stairs. When she realised Scorpius wasn't going to let her go she resigned herself to being carried to the nursery. She tried to make herself as comfortable as possible as the blood began to rush to her head.

"I suppose I can let you down now." Scorpius said cheerfully but quietly as he reached the nursery door. He was slipping Lily off his shoulder and guiding her to her feet, before Lily had chance to speak.

Now standing, Lily leant her head against his shoulder as she fought off a wave of dizziness. "You're an arse sometimes." Lily grumbled.

"A loveable arse." Scorpius corrected and angled his head so that he could kiss the frown lines on her forehead.

"Fine." Lily agreed with a smile and reached for the door handle. The door opened silently and the two peered into the room.

All but two of the room's occupants slept soundly in their beds. Dorian was sat in a large armchair, his head rolled to one side having drifted off to sleep himself. A storybook lay open, balanced on his knee. Aimee had squeezed herself into the spot next to him and was also asleep; the two having unintentionally fallen asleep while they read to the others.

Lily entered the room first and gazed at the sleeping duo. For some reason they reminded her of herself and Teddy when they were their age. Teddy was the one who had taught her to read in the first place. "They look so cute, I feel rotten knowing I'll have to wake them." Scorpius whispered as he crept to Lily's side.

"Dorian wouldn't thank you in the morning if you left him sleeping; he'll wake up with one hell of a sore neck." Lily whispered back.

Scorpius nodded thoughtfully. "I suppose you are right." He said then sighed. "You put Aimee to bed and I'll wake him." He decided and they both headed to the sleeping duo. Lily reached for Aimee first; wrapping her arms around the child and lifting her gently so not to wake her. Lily then lowered Aimee into her bed and made sure the covers were wrapped around her. Aimee stirred slightly but didn't wake.

Scorpius leaned close to Dorian and shook him. "Dorian! Wake up!"

Dorian awoke with a start. "What-?" he said groggily and glanced around the room looking confused.

"You fell asleep."

Dorian blinked as his gaze focused on Scorpius. "Oh." He said quietly and got to his feet. He yawned and stretched the stiffness from his limbs. "Well I better be off. I'm going to get some work done while I can. I can't see myself managing to do any tomorrow." He said and glanced in Aimee's direction, knowing that the little girl would be demanding his attention again tomorrow. He didn't mind. It was a novel experience talking to the child. She was so happy all the time and genuinely nice. There was no maliciousness or deceit in her eyes and the same could be said about all the members of the girl's family. The Weasley's extended family was how every family should be. His parents should have been more like Teddy and Victoire: kind and quick to offer love and support. Not the cruel and heartless people his parents were. Dorian took a deep breath and tried to shove thoughts of his parents out of his mind. "See you tomorrow." He mumbled and left the room.

"Don't work too hard." Lily told him while Scorpius watched him leave with a sad smile. He could almost read Dorian's thoughts as a large, loving family was all he had ever wanted out of life.

As Lily and Scorpius left the room, Scorpius took one last look at the sleeping children before the door closed. "We should have one of those." He said wistfully and wrapped his arm around Lily.

She snuggled against his body. "Now or sometime in the future?"

"I was thinking sometime soon."

Lily tilted her face upwards and caught her husband's gaze. "Are you sure. It won't be like looking after Aimee or Hope or any of the others. We won't be able to hand them back at the end of the day. There will be sleepless nights, dirty diapers and lots of responsibility. Are you sure you want this now instead of waiting a few years?"

"I feel ready for this. Our relationship is as strong as ever, our jobs are stable and we can provide a safe environment for any child to grow up in. But I will wait if you're not ready for this."

In that instant Lily knew she was ready. She framed Scorpius' face with her hands and pulled him down for heated and lingering kiss. Several heartbeats later she pulled away slightly so that she could still feel his breath caress her lips. "You're a remarkable guy, do you know that?"

"I have my moments." Scorpius said before a smile full of delight lit up his face. It was the same smile he wore on their wedding day and it had an instant effect on her body. "So shall we do this? Shall we start a family?"

Lily nodded in answer and he hugged her tightly. "My contraceptive potion runs out in a couple of weeks." Lily managed to find the breath to say.

Scorpius scooped her up into his arms and planted a passionate kiss on her lips which melted her insides. "That gives us plenty of time to practice." He said delighted and began carrying her back up the stairs. Their family would just have to wait a little longer. Later that evening, Lily and Scorpius joined the others downstairs. If their absence was noticed, no one mentioned it. They spent some time chatting over glasses of wine and Butterbeer until the gradually filtered off to bed.

After breakfast the next day, Lily headed to the platform where she could sit and watch the final Quidditch match. She joined a bench with Jess, Delia and Maggie. Margarita wasn't there as she was playing chaser alongside Ginny and Louis, in James' Quidditch team. They were still in the changing room discussing tactics.

"You're looking all bright and cheerful this morning." Maggie said in a teasing tone as Lily slipped into the seat next to her.

Lily ignored the insinuation behind her best friend's words. "It's been great to get everyone together. We should do this more often."

"I don't think that is the reason for the twinkle in your eyes." Maggie said impishly. "What do you think Jess? Do you think we are the cause of Lily's good mood?"

Jess leant forwards with a mischievous smile. "Oh no. I don't think we are the reason at all." Lily's eyes narrowed at Jess but Delia leaning forward blocked Jess from view.

"I think _Scorpius_ has more to do with her mood than us. It's good to see that he is still making you happy. I wouldn't want to be him if he wasn't." Delia added.

Lily rolled her eyes. "When are you going to cut Scorpius some slack? There is no need for you to still be suspicious of him."

"Ignore her Lils" Maggie supplied. "Del enjoys ragging on Scorpius. She'll be old and wrinkly when she finally lays off him."

"Hey! When did this go from picking on Lily day to picking on Delia day?" Delia grumbled and crossed her arms.

"About the time you started to refer to yourself in the third person." Jess smirked.

Delia pouted until a figure over Lily's shoulder caught her attention. Delia waved vigorously. "There's a seat here next to Lily, come and join us Luce!"

Lucy's eyebrows shot upwards as she looked towards them suspiciously. She paused for a few heartbeats as she decided whether or not to join them. In the end curiosity won and she strolled over and at next to Lily. She listened to the group quarrel a while before she finally spoke. "It's heart-warming that you called me over to play mediator, but I'm not the best for the job. Victorie is more experienced with bickering children since she has three of them. Maybe I should ask to swap places."

Delia pouted and Lily chuckled as Lucy's comment put an end to the teasing. Moments later, the two teams walked out of changing rooms and mounted their brooms. Angelina, who was acting as referee, blew her whistle and the game began.

Lily's gaze followed Scorpius as he tried to find the golden snitch before her father. She watched Scorpius dodge the bludger Hugo had sent at Margarita and missed. Freddie countered by sending a bludger towards Isaiah. Isaiah narrowly missed being knocked off his broom and Lucy gasped.

Lily heard the gasp and glanced at Lucy. She wondered if Lucy was always that anxious whenever her husband played Quidditch. "Where's Hope?" Lily asked "Is he not going to watch his dad play?"

Lucy shrugged and although she'd turned her attention towards Lily, she continued to glance towards Isaiah every few seconds. "He'll be along later. Andromeda, Narcissa and Astoria have taken a few of the children play in the gardens. Hope was chasing butterflies when I came here to watch the match."

"Oh, I wondered why they weren't here. Astoria adores Hope."

"I noticed. I think Astoria adores all children. I'm surprised Scorpius doesn't have any siblings." Lucy said thoughtfully.

Lily had to agree with that. It was a little odd that there was only one Malfoy born to each generation; as if it never occurred to them to have more than one heir. Lily wondered whether it had something to do with the fact that only one child was needed to continue the family name. One child in each generation was also a financial benefit as there was less expenses incurred by smaller families. Lily could imagine that being a reason why Draco was an only child; Lucius was the type to share that way of thinking. However, Lily couldn't see that as being the reason for Scorpius' lack of brothers or sisters. Astoria would have wanted a larger family so there had to be another reason. "Scorpius wants a large family."

"That would be nice. Astoria would make a great grandmother and I think even Draco would excel. Who would have thought he is the same person Uncle Ron used to complain about."

"I know." Lily replied wistfully.

There was something about Lily's tone that caught Lucy's attention. She glanced at her cousin speculatively "You're not pregnant are you?!" Lucy gasped and she eyed Lily's stomach as if to see whether it was not as flat as usual.

Lily shook her head and glanced towards her friends on the other side of her to make sure they weren't listening to their conversation. She would tell them eventually, but not yet. They were engrossed in the game so Lily turned back to Lucy and spoke quietly. "No not _yet_." Lily admitted and Lucy's eyes widened. "You can't tell anyone though, not yet. I mean, I'll probably tell Maggie later but Scorpius and I have only just decided that we're going to start a family."

Lucy shifted in her seat excitedly as she tried to reign in her reaction so not to draw attention. "Well if you are anything like the rest of our family, it won't be long before you'll be welcoming a little Malfoy into the world. It was only twelve weeks ago that Isaiah and I decided-" Lucy stopped speaking abruptly.

Lily gasped and grabbed Lucy's arm. She could hardly believe what her cousin was saying. "Only twelve weeks ago that, what? What did you decide?" Lily asked but she felt she already knew.

"Merlin's beard." Lucy cursed and threw a panicked glance around the crowd. Luckily everyone else was still absorbed with the Quidditch match. Margarita had pulled off an impressive loop to avoid both Isaiah and Amelia. Her pass to Louis resulted in another goal for their team. The score read 70-40 in favour of James' team. As the crowd cheered, Lucy leant closer to Lily. "You can't say anything. I haven't told Molly yet, I haven't told my mum yet either." Lucy whispered.

Lily grinned impishly at her cousin. "Are you saying what I think you are saying?"

Lucy grimaced. "Yes and you better keep it quiet. Please. We're not supposed to be telling anyone until I'm in the second trimester."

A huge smile spread across Lily's face. "Congratulations!" she exclaimed and nudged her cousin affectionately.

"Shhh." Lucy hissed but a secretive smile tugged at her lips. Lily chuckled quietly as she restrained herself from hugging Lucy. Instead the two girls turned their attention to the match.

It wasn't long before Astoria arrived with Hope. The little boy hurried towards his mother and demanded a place on her knee. He sat there with his mother's arms around him until Scorpius caught the snitch and the game ended. Lily jumped up and cheered while Lucy sighed and went to console her husband. Isaiah never took well to losing a game, even a friendly one between family.

As the winning team flew around the room and congratulated each other, all of the spectators hurried to the pitch to join them.

The chorus of cheers continued. Scorpius ran over to Lily and she flung her arms around him. As he span her around, the rest of his teammates celebrated their victory. As the cheers died down an argument from the opposing team could be overheard. Lily caught a glimpse of her uncle Ron as he mockingly applauded Draco Malfoy. "Well done Malfoy! You are supposed to try and throw the quaffle through the hoop not-" Ron would have continued but the spell Draco cast caused Ron to cough several times. This gave Draco to issue his warning.

"Don't start on me Weasel. I didn't see you stopping the quaffles at your end so don't blame your incompetence's on me." Ron finally stopped coughing and the two glared at each other. Lily pulled away from Scorpius to watch, while other members of the family started to notice the impending argument. The tension between the two men began to build up and Harry came forward to intervene.

"Guys, it's just a game." Harry reasoned. This however, did not have the soothing effect he expected. Both Draco and Ron turned on Harry.

"Did you break your glasses Harry? It's not like you to let a Malfoy, any Malfoy catch the snitch before you." Ron asked.

"Yeah Potter, if I'd know your Seeking skills were that rusty I wouldn't have offered to be a Chaser instead." Draco added.

Harry tensed and glared at Draco. "Oh yeah, Malfoy! It's easy blaming the position for your poor performance, that's why you changed didn't you? You knew you wouldn't be able to catch the snitch before your son so you needed an excuse."

There were a few chuckles from the crowd and even Scorpius smirked. Lily was appalled by her father's behaviour and began to step forward.

"Just leave them to it dear." Ginny told Lily with amusement in her eyes.

"They don't mean anything by it." Hermione agreed.

"Compared to how they were at school, this sort of bickering is just friendly banter." Astoria chuckled. "Now let's get some lunch."

The women's blasé attitudes towards their husbands' argument reassured Lily. She joined the majority of her family make their way over to the conservatory while the three men lagged behind and continued to bicker. There was a buffet was already set out and Lily was determined to continue to enjoy herself. She had had a fantastic weekend, her only regret being that Lucius hadn't made an appearance even once.

From that day on Lily was determined to meet up with her family and friends more often. It was difficult but worth getting that the entire family together due to the sheer size, especially since it was constantly expanding. It was only a matter of weeks before Lucy announced her pregnancy to the rest of the family, with her due-date set for winter. Like Issie and Freddie, they were expecting twins. Shortly after the announcement, Maggie officially joined the family when she and Albus had a large and lavish wedding. The newlyweds bought a large cottage in Tinworth, a village with an entire magical community.

In the autumn, Issie gave birth to twin girls Felicity and Grace. Lily also found out she would be an aunt as James and Amelia announced they were expecting the first of the next generation of Potters. Amelia decided to take a break from professional Quidditch, and write a column in Quidditch weekly until the time she felt ready to return. The family teased her by saying she was set for twins considering Issie and Lucy's pregnancies. It was hardly a surprise when their first scan did in fact reveal that she was indeed carrying twins. Lily was ecstatic by the news and was eager for the day when she and Scorpius' dreams of starting a family would come true.


End file.
